Two Suns A Twilight Fanfiction
by JojoRoxorz
Summary: When Bella said their names the world stopped moving, and Alice was hit with two very different visions. One was Edward and Bella and one was Alice and Bella. Which one of the visions will come true. Who will Bella chose. AliceXBella EdwardXBella
1. Chapter 1

Two Suns

A/N This is un-beta'd and my first Twilight fan fiction. Honestly I read Twilight determined not to like it and emerged in love with Alice. The M is there for later chapters. I'm not actually sure if I will continue it. It all depends on the response I get.

Also this will be written in first person by everyone in different parts.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Twilight universe. Meyers has claim to them all.

Rosalie's POV

To the slow simple minds of the humans surrounding us, I'm sure it looked simply like we, The Cullens had simply all stood up at the same time (rather stiffly I might add), covered the length between our table and the exit doors in well a rather power walkish style, dumped our uneaten trays, and walked out into the rainy afternoon weather that is synonymous with Forks.

If a single one of them noticed anything outlandishly amiss, their faces, thought's, emotion's, and immediate futures did not betray them. All except for that one very silly human girl, that started this whole shebang simply by being alive.

As I pushed my highly irritated, defensive, and very dangerous "siblings" out the door, her eyes were the only ones straining to see what had happened so abruptly. Silly stupid human.

But I feel I should backtrack and slow down this moment for better understandment. As vampires it is important for you to understand that our sense of time is highly eschewed compared to the traditional measurements of time. Seconds are minutes, minutes are hours, and hours can feel like days and so on. When eternity looms in your future it tends to change your perspective. A split second reaction is…well much more complicated.

If I had to estimate I would say the incident bloomed, progressed, and dive-bombed into a very dangerous situation in less than a minute.

"Alice. Edward." Both names rolled off her tongue in one breath. Now hearing our names is not a big deal. In a small town like Forks, being rich, beautiful, and reclusive tends to make you an ideal topic of gossip whenever the conversation lulls.

No it was the way their names were said that turned all of our heads in her direction. It sounded like she had never heard the names Alice and Edward before this moment. It sounded like she literally tasted their names in her mouth. She sounded…ironically like a crazed newborn vampire saying blood for the first time. It was quite honestly startling as hell.

Three different reactions happened directly after she uttered their names. My sister and brother, Alice and Edward, each jerked their heads in her direction. Alice a second ahead of Edward respectfully as her name had reached us first.

In another second they each had come completely oblivious of their surroundings. Each one looked at the girl like she was the greatest ideal since blood. In fact I'm quite sure they would of each championed the notion that the girl actually pre-dated the very existence of blood to begin with.

They both snapped out of the reveries ten seconds later (which felt in fact like ten minutes" when Alice's eyes glazed over announcing the vision playing out in her mind. The vision lasted twenty seconds.

During the first ten seconds, Edwards face ran along a list of emotions, including horror, disgust, torture, and fury. It looked like the soul he adamantly denied the existence of, was trying to crawl out of his body. I feel it is important to note that Edward is a mind reader, and because of that ability was seeing every vision dancing behind Alice's eye simultaneously.

Halfway through the vision though Edward's tortured face relaxed and broke out into the most peaceful happy expression possible.

Alice on the other hand was a different story. I have been present for hundreds if not thousands of her visions. And never once had I seen her facial features betray the events folding behind her eyes. But halfway though her face changed so drastically that I had to thank whatever force was looking over us, that she was turned away from the humans. She looked like she was a drowning person who had been tossed a life jacket, only to have it pulled away from them. It was extremely upsetting to see her usual pixie like features pulled into such a horrible grimace.

When her eyes returned back to normal her and Edward raised their eyes to each other's and sat there stunned for about five seconds. And then I heard the deep guttural rumbling from deep within their chests. It sounded like thunder rolling in and I could tell in another few seconds it was going to boil over into something that the unsuspecting humans surrounding us would be sure to hear.

At this point my other brother, Jasper, emotions caught up with us and we were all hit forcefully with a heavy dose of calmness and a strong "Stop" said loud enough just for our sensitive hearing, but forcefully enough to snap Alice and Edward out of it.

The third reaction I mentioned had been Jaspers. The thing about him is I didn't have to be looking at his face to understand his reaction. You see Jasper also has a ability. He can control the emotions of those around him. Unfortunately he is subject to other people's emotions as well. And when he is suddenly hit by an onslaught of strong emotions they pass through his body and affect everyone else who happens to be near him as well.

When Alice and Edward turned their heads towards that girl, Jasper, and Emmit and I being in such close proximity, were hit with an astounding feeling of love like a thousand bricks had fallen upon our head. A split second later Jasper regained enough control of his emotions to feel confusion, then betrayal, then sorrow, followed by begrudged understanding and ultimate loss. The shift in his moods in those few seconds were the closest I have ever come to feeling sick in my vampiric life.

When Alice went into her vision he lost control again, and we were all plunged into a confusing jumble of emotions. They were changing so quickly between Alice and Edward that Jasper could not control a thing. We were along for the ride, and at that moment I loved the human girl uncontrollably, and was then furious at Alice, then I was heartbroken, and then I was in heaven.

When the vision ended we all shared in the confusion and the proceeding anger, jealousy, and disgust. Finally Jasper rained in the emotions at our table and blasted us with so much calmness I heard the human's at surrounding table sigh uncontrollably and get dreamy looks in all their faces.

It took close to twenty seconds before the tension at our table cooled enough for my to order everyone outside. At times like these I find it imperative to take control of dangerous situations. Simply because I do not enjoy moving because my sibling have lost control of their senses and enacted Vampire Armageddon in the middle of the cafeteria.

Thankfully everyone had the good sense to not fight me and we passed safely through the cafeteria at what I'm sure appeared to be a brisk walk. Jasper burst through the door first followed by a fuming Edward behind him. Emmit went next forming a brick wall between Edward and Alice. Alice obviously went next walking backwards her eyes never leaving the girl. I brought of the rear scanning the cafeteria for any glimmer of interest.

My eyes fell to the girl. I did not need to Jasper to feel her emotions. They were written all over her face. Confusion, love, confusion, and lust. But what for whom I had no ideal. The boy next to her, Mike Newton snapped his fingers in front of her face to and called her name to regain her attention. So she had a name. Bella. Great. Stupid human.

Huffing irritatingly I followed my sibling out into the rain.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Ok yah don't expect it to come out this quickly so usually. I just kind of had like a creative upheaval and it all started spilling out. It also helped that I got reviews… which like fed the beast. LOL And I want to assure you that only these first few chapters will be coming out in different people's points of views. The next one will be in third person POV so I can describe both Alice and Edwards feelings with justice. I plan on finishing the story out mostly in Alice's point of view. So don't get to frustrated if you don't like the style of writing. Again un-beta'd.

Disclaimer: Yah not mine all Stephanie's…trust me…I'm living in a hole in the wall apartment…I would be a whole lot better off if people were writing fanfiction about my fiction.

Emmett's POV

We hit the tree line in the same file we had exited the cafeteria. Only instead of moving at a leisurely power walk we were now running.

Well more like following and running.

Jasper was in the lead, and he was definitely running.

Edward was right behind him and he appeared to be running.

I was following because they were running and after that close to through down in

the cafeteria I knew I did not want to miss whatever what was about to happen.

Behind me I could hear Alice. From the deep growls coming from her I wouldn't

say she was either running nor following. She was definitely chasing. I wasn't sure if she was chasing Jasper or Edward…but she was chasing.

Behind Alice I could here Rose…who was following…and cussing about her shoes not being up to this. She was also on the phone the best I could tell. Talking to Carlisle and explaining the situation. Or at least trying to explain the situation, seeing as she knew about as much as I did.

I knew that Alice had had a vision upon seeing the funny little human staring at her and Edward like she was pondering weather to drink lion or tiger blood. I knew that what she had seen, had at the same time pissed both of them off and made them extremely happy. And I knew that my homevamp Jasper's heart was broken…well you know what I mean.

We hit the baseball clearing like a herd of charging rhinos, and I heard a roar come simultaneously out of Edwards and Alice's mouth, that I knew could be heard from town, if not Seattle.

Jasper veered to the left and threw himself into a grove of trees. I just saw Rosalie out of the corner of my eye veer off towards him calling out his name. Which was I guess based on what happened next a very good thing, because honestly, I fail when it comes to the whole emotional upchuck thing he does. I'm not saying I'm a Neanderthal, but I do know my limits.

I nearly rammed into Edward. In the split second my attention had been drawn away he had turned on a pinpoint and was poised like a cobra ready to strike. For a moment I thought he was adopting the aggressive position towards me and I began preparing myself for a fight. At that moment however I was literally rammed into the ground two feet as Alice used my shoulders to spring her tiny pixie like body towards a crouched and ready Edward.

It was without a doubt pure luck that I reached my arm out in time to grab her around the waist in the air and drag her back down to earth. She hissed loudly at me and whipped her head towards me with such fury it felt like a jet had taken off literally in my face. I pushed her forwards in my arms trying to escape her snapping teeth, the fact that her eyes were blacker than coal was not lost on me at all.

I have to say that Alice may not be extremely strong, but when she is furious like she was at that moment, I would have had an easier time holding onto a tornado. It took all my strength to get my feet out of the hole's they had created and situate the little demon under my right arm.

At that point as if I did not have enough of a problem on my hands I looked up to see Edward flying at me as well.

Ok yah I'm fucking awesome. I'm a big guy. I fight bears. But this was fucking ridiculous. I don't think I've ever been happier ever in my entire life, then I was at the moment I saw Carlisle blur out of nowhere and fling himself onto the charging Edward. It's at times like this I remember that Carlisle may be my dad, but he's like one bad mother.

Following a second behind Carlisle I saw my mother Esme charge onto the scene as well and sum it up quickly, which I would say at the least, was utter chaos. She took one look around, walked between Alice and I and Carlisle and Edward in true mother form…yelled at the top of her lungs to and I quote "Quit acting like new born vampires and stop this foolishness that instant or she was going to make them rue the day she had been reborn."

Sure Alice can see the future and Edward can read minds. And hell even Jasper's emotion thing is pretty great. But Esme in my opinion has a very under-valued ability in her own right; because the moment that command left her lips, the evil fairy under my arm stopped struggling and Edwards growl was cut right down the middle.

"Ok now everyone calm down, act their ages, and please explain to me what is going on now." Esme said motioning for Rose to bring Jasper back towards us.

The look on his face as he came stumbling towards us, held up by Rose was just sad. He looked like someone had killed his puppy. I found myself wanting to hug him it was so bad. And I don't hug…again not a Neanderthal just very self-actualized.

Esme picked up on his emotions as well and walked towards Jasper briskly holding him in her arms for a few seconds, while listening to the shallow un-needed breaths still coming from Alice and Edward.

Looping an arm behind Jasper she turned to us and rubbed her temple. Sighing she looked to Rose and I for some form of an explanation, when both of us came up blank she motioned for Carlisle and I to bring Alice and Edward towards her.

We dropped them down before her and she looked at the two of them, her features softening to her usual motherly gaze. "Alice, Rose said you had a vision, assumingly about a girl you and Edward noticed. Will you please explain to me what you saw?"

At this point Edward raised his voice and started to shout insults towards Alice. Esme rounded her gaze back towards Edward and gave a sharp hiss. "Edward you will have a chance to talk but right now we all need to know exactly what Alice saw." Again Edward started to interrupt and she held up her hand, "Yes I know that you saw it to, but I want to hear it from Alice first because she will be able to give me a less…prejudiced account of it."

"Alice go on ahead and tell us exactly what you saw."


	3. Chapter 3

N/A: Herm I feel really bad for spitting all of this out so quickly but I detest waiting when I have something finished. I'm afraid I will dash hopes when I hit my mark and don't update for a week. Ah well. No Beta guys so be gentle with me.

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers own Twilight, not me! And now in a different language!

Stephanie Meyers besitzt Halbdunkel nicht mich!

Alice took a deep breath and began composing her thoughts. She had done this thousands of times, but this was the first time she had to actually think about it. Relaying her visions to her family had become almost as second nature as the visions were in the first place. She looked deep into her mind and brought the latest vision before her eyes again.

She could do this…she just had to tell them exactly what had happened in her vision.

"You had better tell them all of it," Edward said in an almost feral growl.

"Oh just shut up Edward," Rose snapped rubbing her eyes. This entire situation had become exhausting to her.

"Ok" Alice said deciding to relay the vision backwards. "I saw Edward and her…"

"Bella…her name is Bella", Rose volunteered. "I heard the Newton kid say her name on the way out."

"Edward and Bella, I saw what would be there life at this moment as long as no decisions are made otherwise…"

At this point Edward huffed and interrupted her, "Yes Alice we are all aware with how your gift works, so just get to the damn vision!"

"Please Edward just let her tell it how it's easier for her. You'll get your turn to speak," Carlisle said resting a hand on Edward's shoulder applying enough pressure to silently vocalize that any more interruptions would not be tolerated.

"If I can speak now," Alice said glaring in Edward's direction. "I saw Edwards and Bella's life as what would happen if Edward were to get to know her, if she loved him back," At this point her voice choked and she took a second to work through the feeling. "I saw a bunch of smaller visions. Kind of like a home video montage. I saw Edward in a clearing with her, showing him his skin. I saw Edward and Bella sharing a gentle kiss. I saw Bella at prom with him, dancing standing on his feat. I saw Bella going to college and Edward visiting her…Then I saw Bella meeting someone else besides Edward. Anther man, human. I saw Edward hugging Bella on her wedding day before she walked down the isle. I saw Bella having a child with her husband. I saw her and her family happy. I saw Edward and her walking along a trail. Bella was older. I would say in her 50's. They were laughing, as friends but they shared a warm kiss. Then I saw Bella dying in her old age. She looked very happy despite not being with him."

At this point the entire family let out a collective sigh of premature relief. Despite the relief they felt momentarily though, it was overshadowed by a sense of confusion creeping in their eyes.

Edward looked around at his family and tried to hold his temper as he turned his head to Alice, "That's not all, Alice…tell them the other half of your vision."

"I am going to Edward," Alice growled out from deep in her throat. Removing her steely gaze from Edward she settled her eyes to her lap. A smile came to her face, softening her pixie like features as she dropped back into her memory. "And then I saw Bella and I…our future together. I saw it like I saw her and Edwards. In little scenes. I saw her and I in the clearing, and her running her fingers across my face trying to feel the diamonds she said." At this she gave a sigh and Edward snorted loudly. "I saw myself kissing her, making…making love to her. I saw myself at prom with her dancing. I saw myself marrying her. I saw her and myself together always. Just as happy as she was in the vision with Edward."

When she got done Edward looked around expectedly into the faces of his family waiting for their own shock and outrage to show. He sat there waiting to be justified in his anger, and he sat there another half minute before he realized that with the exception of a small furrow in Rosalie's forehead the rest of his family all shared the same dreamy expression as Alice.

Finally something snapped inside of Edward and he jumped up nearly knocking Carlisle off his feet.

"ARE YOU ALL BLIND AND DEAF?" He roared at them, startling them all out of their own thoughts. "Do any of you have any ideal what she just told you?"

"Honey calm down, I know that this is obviously a very sticky situation, but beyond the fact that both of you are obviously in love with this Bella girl, this is not a situation that really deems getting so upset at." Esme said trying to calm him down.

Edward in turn gaped at Esme like she had just suggested they go vacation in Hawaii. "Oh my god, you don't get it. None of you get it at all do you?"

"Get what?" Emmett quietly asked. "I mean it's like Esme said it's kind of a sucky situation, but either ending doesn't sound horrible."

At this Edward threw his fists up in the air and rounded on Rosalie. "You get it don't you?" He bellowed at her.

"Yes I get it Edward! So stop raving like a wild man!" Rosalie roared back at him.

"Well would you care to share with the rest of the class?" Emmett asked looking more confused then before.

"I kill her…"

All the heads turned to were Alice sat on the ground staring at her hands. "In my future with Bella she is changed…together with me always."

At this Carlisle sucked in a breath and ran his hand through his smooth hair, the sigh he let out bringing understanding to the rest of the family.

"Yes Alice, you kill her." Edward said looking down at her. "And not just that you put her in danger by 'making love with her'," he said in a sneering tone. How do you know that you wouldn't hurt her? You could destroy her horribly and it just shows how little self control you have." And now his voice began to rise again. "And then you change her, you take away her life and future for your own selfishness."

"But she's happy in my future too," she weakly replied.

"SHE'S DAMNED FOR ETERNITY! And how do you know that you'll always be with her? Huh it's pretty obvious you have no trouble dropping your mates when a new play thing walks by, just look at Jasper!"

"Leave me out of this," Jasper snapped losing his composure. "I understand…I know how she feels and it is her decision." And with that he turned away from gathering and looked off to the horizon.

"I think we all need to calm down and take a breather," Esme said slowly catching the family's attention. "Because we can not make any decisions about…well about what we need to do…"

"It's obvious what we need to do. Alice needs to change her mind and back off before she hurts the girl!" Edward shouted bringing his hands to his face.

"Edward I will not have you interrupt me again, do you understand me?" Esme said her eyes darkening uncharacteristically. Edward blanched under gaze and quickly apologized in a chastised tone.

"Now," Esme said glancing between her children. "How does the girl feel about all of this?"

At that point Alice, Jasper, and Edward all looked at each other rather dumbfounded.

"Oh dear lord, you two were going to rip her apart, and for all we know she could be in training to become a nun!" Esme said not bothering to hide the momentary hint of amusement in her voice. "Silly vampires."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is a rather short one, but I thought it was necessary to show Jasper's reaction to the situation. I just can't help but make him the good guy. I mean come one…it's Jasper. The next chapter will swing back to Edward and Alice and the conversation they are having.

Disclaimer:…NOT MINE STEPHANIE MEYERS OWNS IT ALL EXCEPT MY PLOT…and I'm sure her lawyer could beat my lawyer up so if she wants it I will give that to her as well.

Esme's POV

I looked at my children who looked back at me like I had just asked them if there was life after death. I sighed to myself and rubbed my temple slowly, reminding myself that though my "children" where each well over a hundred years old, they still could be incredibly immature teenagers at times.

So I turned to Edward my mind reader for some insight. "Edward honey, what did you hear in Bella's mind? Was she interested in either of you?"

Edwards then got a rather subdued look on his face and told us that he hadn't heard anything in Bella's mind. In fact he could not even hear her thoughts at all. It was as if there was a sound proof barrier blocking his ability.

At this I looked at Jasper and softly put my hand on his shoulder. "Sweetheart…did you get anything out of her emotions at all?"

Jasper closed his eyes and his face twisted into a pained expression. "I'm sorry Esme but I was having trouble feeling my own emotions even. I couldn't have felt hers even if I tried."

"That's ok" I said softly to him. "So did any of you see anything that expressed how she felt?"

"I saw her face when we left," Rose said crossing her arms and rubbing her temple. "I would say it was one part confusion, one part love, one part lust, and honestly another part confusion."

"Ok good that helps us in an altogether more confusing manner, but at least we know that she noticed you two." I said throwing my hands up in the air and looking towards my husband for his help.

Picking as if on cue he joined in, "With that settled I think we need to discuss what we plan to do now," Carlisle said stepping over to my side. "I think that the best option would honestly be for us to move."

A volley of No's reached my ears before Carlisle had gotten through the word move.

"No I absolutely refuse to move," Rose said stamping her foot. "Emmett and I are almost done with this senior year again, and I will not start over as a Sophomore…again!"

I looked towards Edward and Alice who both seemed to be locked in a silent battle. With a curt nod they both muttered that they also did not want to move again.

"Ok," Carlisle said training his eyes onto Edward and Alice. "If you do not want to move then we will have to figure out a substantial plan that you both can agree on. But I think perhaps it would be best to leave this decision up to you two. The rest of the family and I will give you some privacy. Can I trust you both to not rip each other apart?"

As they both nodded yes, we started to back off towards the other end of the field. We were of course within hearing distance but not enough to catch their exact words. Carlisle motioned Rosalie and Emmett towards him, no doubt to discuss the situation and I wrapped my arm over Jaspers shoulder and lead him away from the others.

Even without the pain I could feel radiating off of Jasper, I knew that he was deeply disturbed and emotionally drained by recent events. We walked slowly not saying anything until we reached the end of the clearing and being the southern gentlemen he is knocked a tree over for us to sit on.

As I had suspected his thoughts would do, they caught up with him, as his body was racked with tearless sobs. I ran my hand softly up his back and rubbed his head waiting for the pain to lessen so I could talk to him.

I am like any other mother in the way that I hate to see my children in pain. Granted I never had to deal with many scraped knees, but their emotional pain cut me just as deeply.

Finally his shaking stopped and he sat up regaining his composure.

"Jasper, my son, I am sure this is extremely hard on you wrapped up uncontrollably in everyone else's emotions, but what are you feeling? What do you think?"

He sighed to himself and I could see him forming the words in his mind before he started. "I know that Alice still love's me. That is the only thing holding me together at the moment. I know that she has not stopped loving me. I have not been 'flung to the side' as Edward so eloquently put it. I just know that Alice has found someone she loves a thousand times more than she could ever love me."

He sucked in an unneeded breath, and ran his hands through his unruly hair. "And though I am trying to, I do not hate her for it. I of all people know that emotions are out of our control," he chuckled looking up towards the sky.

"She loves that human girl more than I could think possible. And honestly I can not help but to love the fragile little thing as well."

"And Edward?" I asked squeezing his knee.

"Oh yes Edward…he loves her just as much as Alice does is the thing. I honestly do not know how they will overcome this."

And then he let out a great sigh and I feel his body release the tension he had been holding in since I'm sure they had heard the girl spoke.

We sat silently and I turned my gaze towards the rest of my family. Emmett, Rose, and Carlisle were sitting at one end of the field talking, and in the middle sat Alice and Edward wrapped up in there own conversation.

I turned to my left surprised to hear a warm chuckle coming from Jasper. Noting my confusion I'm sure he looked at me and smiled softly, "And to think that poor Bella girl only said two words and caused this much upheaval. I'm almost scared to hear her complete a sentence." I couldn't help but laugh as well as I pondered the girl who had wrapped two of my children up in her heart in just a minute's time.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: This is nowhere near the end of the story so don't panic. Lol Thanks so much for the reviews. I swear to god you guys are like my own personal brand of heroin. LOL So yes please review and feed the little monster of a muse on my shoulder.

Disclaimer: He Jojo, does this story belong to you? No I'm 22 and living of Ramen noodles. It belongs to STEPHANIE MEYERS…Oh yah giggity giggity.

I watched the rest of my family walk away to give us some privacy and let out an exasperated breathe. The hurt in my head was only a dull throb when compared to the emotional pain I was feeling at that moment. When I saw Jasper knock down the makeshift bench I turned towards Edward who looked to finally be calming down slightly. Still I made a mental note to be wary. When he chuckled at this mental note I wished, not for the first time, that he could not hear my thoughts; not be in my head.

Finally I broke the silence, "Edward we have to talk about this…discuss what we should do."

"And what pray-tell do you say we do Alice?" He muttered.

"I think perhaps it would be best if the both of us just made up our minds to back away from her."

At this he growled loudly, "No!" he yelled, his nostrils flaring. "No Alice we do not need to talk about this, we do not need to discuss this diplomatically, and we do not need to just "back off"! We both know that what we need to do is not the issue. It is what you need to do!" As his words spilled out his voice began to rise to a thunderous roar, and he stalked towards me looming over me.

Loud growls from Carlisle and Emmett reached us and I held my hand up, signaling to them that I did not need assistance, no matter how the situation appeared. I moved my hand to my still heart in anguish and listened to him breathing. I looked at his face, surprised by the seething anger not common to him.

"Please Edward," I said trying to keep the begging tone out of my voice. "This is not as easy as you are making this out to be. I can't simply turn my feelings off. My heart is not like a faucet."

At this he held up his hand dismissing my comment. "How could this be any easier? And forget about your heart. What about hers? We both know that your visions were based off the decisions we made when we saw her. My decision was to love her. To make her as happy as I could, as long as she would have me. And then I would break my own heart for her, so she could live out her natural life, happy."

I turned away from him then and put my hands to my face. If I could have been crying, I would have been right then. Because he was right. And I knew what he would say next would be even truer.

"And you, your decision was to kill her. You talk about how you can't turn off your heart. You heart is already dead!" He spat out venomously, "You don't care about her Alice. From the second you saw her; you made up your mind to damn her to our existence for your own selfish reasons. So you don't have to spend eternity alone!"

It was too much, "I know Edward," I choked out. "Don't you know that I get it?! You can read my thoughts just as well as I can. How do you think I feel!" I cried out falling to my hands and knees, shaking the field with the thunderous impact.

I heard him sigh, and I could tell he was over his anger. He sat down next to me putting his hand on my shoulder. "I feel like a selfish monster," I breathed out heavily. "I feel like I should be burnt alive for how I feel."

At this Edward pulled me towards him and ran his hands through his hair. "Alice you dying is not going to help anything so don't even talk about that. I know this is not easy for you. I didn't mean what I said. I know you love her. Not like I do," he added sharply. "But I know you do love her."

"I do love her."

"Then Alice you know what you need to do. You know what you have to do to protect her."

"I know," I sighed out. Standing up I brushed off my hands and managed to keep my voice from breaking as I called the rest of our family back to us.

As they came back Esme came towards me and put her arm around me like she had done to Jasper earlier, giving my shoulder a light reassuring squeeze. Carlisle shifted his eyes between us stoically and cleared his throat. I knew that they had all heard ever word we said, but more out of respect her asked us quietly what we intended to do.

Edward looked towards me and I nodded my head, "I love Bella. But I will only love her as a friend. Edward deserves to be her happiness and she deserves to be happy with him, and I know I could not give her that like he would give her."

At the end of those words I felt my eyes drop off and my vision clouded over announcing a vision. I tried to run away from it in my mind. For the first time since I had woken up a hundred years ago, I did not want to see this vision. Because I already knew what it would show. And it did not disappoint me.

I saw Edward and Bella in a clearing; I saw Bella and I sitting on my couch talking and laughing. I saw Bella hugging me, telling me I was her best friend. I saw Edward and Bella kissing softly as I stood in the background watching. I saw Bella leaving, for college, telling me we would always be friends. And again, as if my vision drew pleasure out my anguish I saw her kissing Edward passionately telling him she loved him more than anyone in the world.

When I opened my eyes, my family was looking away from me. I didn't need to tell them what I had seen and I loved them for not making me retell it. I stepped forwards and leaned against Esme. After a quite second Carlisle cleared his throat and suggested we go back to school and try to salvage the rest of the day.

I knew I could not face to be near anyone and I stepped away from them, making it clear I did not plan on returning to school. Jasper caught my hand and I looked towards him. Over his shoulders I could see Esme and Carlisle's concerned faces as the turned to walk back towards our house. Rose and Emmett gave me a nod and started towards the house. Edward tried to look sorry for me, but there was no way he could hide the self-satisfied smirk from his face. He turned away from me and started to run back towards the school, halfway he gave a skip and held his hand above his head in victory.

I sucked in a needless pained breath and looked to Jasper. He calmly pulled me into a hug and I felt myself relax into his embrace.

Running his hand through my hair he cooed as I again lost my composure. Backing away from him I rubbed my face. Jasper gave me a small smile and held out his hand to mine.

"Would you like me to tell the office that you are sick?"

I laughed quietly at the realization that this would be the first time any of us had ever left "sick". It would probably shock the women in the office greatly.

"Yes please." I chuckled.

"Are you going to be ok Alice," he said squeezing my hand. Ah Jasper always the selfless southern gentlemen. Not an hour ago we had held hands and shared a soft kiss, and now I had left him for another women. One I wouldn't even ever be with at that.

"Now, now, none of that sorrow from you." He said quietly looking up to the sky. "Alice, my heart is broken, but it will mend. I know that you did not mean to fall in love with her. It just happened. And I of all people know you can not control your emotions."

"I still love you", I said softly.

"I know you still love me, but you love her more. It's as simple as that. And Alice I will always be here with you. You're my best friend and I plan on spending eternity. If not as lovers, then as close friends."

My poor Jasper, I could hear his voice crack a little as he said that, and I squeezed his hand now. "You are too good to me Jasper."

"No Alice, I just have the unfortunate ability to empathize, no matter how my brain wants to react."

"Do you want very much to be angry with me? I want you to be."

"I did want to be angry. I wanted to be furious. I wanted to make a bigger ass out myself than Edward. But I can't, not after…feeling what you feel for her. I know it was not in your control. I believe the phrase is 'comparing apples to oranges'. Whereas I'm an apple that has gone to brown, and she is an extremely juicy freshly picked orange."

"No Jasper, to me you'll always be a big beautiful fruit basket," and I giggled. I felt myself smile, his warmth rubbing off on me.

"Alice I'm not sure if I should be offended," he laughed out softly. And then his eyes lightened and he looked to me. "And now I need to go back to school, and you need to run. How long will you be?"

"I'm not sure," I mused "A few days maybe."

"Take as long as you need Alice, and be safe." He hugged me and then he too turned around and broke out into a run towards the school.

With him he also took the momentary warmth I had felt, and it was replaced once again by utter loss. I wanted to wail at the heavens. I wanted to be nothing. And so I turned from the field. I turned and ran, leaving behind Jasper's kindness, and my parents concern. I ran from Emmett and Rose's pity filled gazes, and I ran from Edwards's self-satisfied stupid smirking face.

And I ran from her. The girl who I would have hated, had I not loved her so deeply. I ran from Bella, the girl who had completely turned my world upside down in less than a minute.

I ran till I was close to the Canadian border, well out of Edwards mind-reading capabilities and I scrambled up a large tree and let my body completely go free. As I lay there in that tree I relived the vision I had had of Bella and I over and over again. I tortured myself with it, held it in front of myself, dangling it in front of me like water to a man dying of thirst. I reveled in the images of myself making love to Bella.

The forest could of gone up in flames around me, and I would of sat there through it all, in my self-imprisoned of my mind's eye. At first I did not even hear her name being screamed from my mouth in anguish. When I did I thought it was the sound of an animal dying. At that point I let the venom rise inside of me like a volcano, my eyes blacked over like night, and I surrendered myself completely to the monster inside me.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Ok I love writing through Bella's POV when she's not all Ms. Emo-Sad Pants. Her dry humor and sarcasm amuses me. So here be Bella's POV

Disclaimer: IjfiejiDOniingiNOTojeojfeOWNjofejiTWILIGHTifjiejfSTEPHANIE MEYERSgijeijeigjeiDOESfijeifje!!!!!

Bella's POV

Confusion. I always thought that was an easy enough word to understand. I'm sure the dictionary would define it somewhere along the lines of inability to comprehend a situation; and here I have to go and make something as simple as confusion into a dangerous situation.

One second I was minding my own business. Picking at my apple, half listening to the girl Jessica drone on about me, and wondering if it was to late to call my mom and exclaim that I really had just been kidding and I had no intention of moving to Forks. And then no less than a minute later I was lying on my back in the nurses office with a cold compress on and what I feared to be permanently reddened cheeks…hey you would blush too if you fainted, in front of the entire school, on your first day there I might add.

Now back to the second that occurred directly after the more mundane second I was having. It was neither of them that caught my eye. No instead it was their brother and sister, Emmett and Rose that I saw first. I mean it's not everyday you look over Mike Newton's head and see a couple of models strolling over to a table to sit with three other models. I mean we didn't have models at my old school at least.

As they sat down my curious gaze shifted from them to a leaner, but still as muscular looking blonde guy. He piqued my curiosity even more, than the first two. One because he was incredibly hansom as well, and two because he looked to me like he had just swallowed a gallon of gas and chased it with a bonfire.

And then the confusion kicked in when She put her hand on the blonde's shoulder, I think I mildly noted his instant calmed reaction but I honestly couldn't tell you. And then before I could really grasp what I was seeing I noticed the other guy sitting at the table. I think I sucked in a gulp of hair at that point but I'm not sure on that fact either. It was like I was staring down a tunnel and that girl and that guy were standing side by side at the end of it. Someone could have walked before them and I would seen through them I'm sure.

The girl was absolutely the most beautiful women I had ever seen, and she awakened a fire in my heart that I had never felt before. I was without a doubt in love with her.

And the guy, he was an Adonis. He set what part of my heart was not already ablaze to a temperature so high I feared for a second that Forks Washington might soon experience a Chernobyl like disaster. I was without a doubt in love with him.

Wait that was wrong I thought to myself. I couldn't love them both. My heart couldn't possible have enough room in it for that. No I told myself. I was definitely in love with one of them. And the other I was definitely just…extremely lusty towards. Who I wasn't sure, but I figured I could iron out those details after I found out what their names were.

I wildly slapped my hand around in the air before me, snapping my fingers briskly and saying Jessica's name in a slightly panicky tone. I kept my eyes towards them though; for fear that they would just disappear if I wasn't looking at them.

"Yes Bella," she said grabbing my hand and securing it to the table. "What do you need before you kill one of us."

"Who are those…um well…who the hell are the five figments of my imagination sitting over there?" I said not bother to turn my eyes away from them.

"Who? Oh you mean the Cullens?"

"Wait they are related? That's not statistically possible, I mean you don't just have 5 gorgeous kids like that," I said finally whipping my head towards Jessica. From the look on her face I might have resembled a maniac, but I did not care.

"Whoa Bella take a chill. No they're not all related, Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted them all, which is kind of weird because they can't either be over there 30's. Something about her not being able to have kids. Now as I understand it, the two blondes, Rosalie and Jasper, are real brother and sisters. And they're last name is still Hale. And then there is Emmett who is the big one, and Alice and Edward who are there…"

After that I didn't hear a word she said. She could of finished the sentence with they are all psychotic murderers and I would of just nodded redundantly. They had names. The two angels who sat before actually had names. It seemed to make it more real, and it snapped me out of the daze I had unwittingly entered. Letting out my first breathe in what I'm sure was an hour, their names rolled off it together.

"Alice. Edward."

Instantly, as if I had just jumped up and screamed their names through a bullhorn their head snapped towards me, and I was staring into two deep pools of gold. They were across the cafeteria but I could make out those eyes like they were in front of me. Edwards looked the color of honey running fresh from an over filling comb. Alice's were darker, like burnt gold. I could feel myself getting lost in them.

As suddenly as they had turned towards me though, they both spun their heads towards each other, and even from here I could tell that they were very close to breaking out into a fight. Looking at them reminded me of a video on the National Geographic Channel I had see of two cobras preparing to strike each other.

And again as quickly as that had happened I was suddenly staring at their midsections. Realizing they had stood up I half-expected to see them with their fists raised. Instead I noticed that the entire group had stood up and were currently walking to the door like they had just released a pack of rabid raccoons in the room. As they headed for the door, I pulled my eyes away from Alice and Edward all noting all five of their individual reactions.

Jasper blew through the door near what I think were tears. Edward was a second behind him and he knocked through it like it had offended him. Emmett went next with a look on his face that was a mix of confusion and caution. Alice went next walking backwards. Her eyes were stuck to mine again, and I thought to smile at her but she walked out before I could communicate to my mouth that command. Rosalie went out last and her eyes were also locked on mine. I'm not sure what I had done, but if looks could kill, some forensic scientist would be rearranging my skeletal remains for the next ten years.

And then they were gone and I felt a feeling of loss so extreme I almost sobbed. It felt like I had looked up for the first time ever and seen Two Suns, only to have them completely disappear right before my eyes a millisecond before their warmth reached me.

I now realize that the feeling I was actually feeling was the lack of oxygen to my brain. I don't think I actually took a breathe back in after I had said there names. I must not have because the last thing I remember is falling back in my chair and wondering why the hell they had painted the ceiling in here black.

And now I am sitting in the nurse's office, with said compress on my head and Mike Newton hovering over me.

"Really," I said turning to the nurse. "I'm feeling a lot better, can I just go to class?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to call your father Ms. Swan?"

"No really, I'm kind of accident prone and fainting is somewhat of a regular occurrence. Char…I mean my dad would just chuckle," I assured her handing her the pack and picking up my backpack.

"Ok well if you insist. Newton!" She barked snapping her fingers towards him. "Please escort Ms. Swan to her next class."

"Yes ma'am," he said attempting to take my bag. I felt almost bad at how red his face went when he realized I had an iron grip on it. I'm totally for chivalry, but when you trip and stumble and fall as much as I do, coddling gets old very quickly. I did let him hold the door open for me, so I'm not mean I swear.

"So what's your next class," he asked smoothly.

"Erm Biology in 211."

"Ok well lets go shall we," he said raising her elbow to me to take…and then turning it into a very convincing stretch when I stared blankly at him.

As we walked to the room he droned on about something. My mind was a thousand miles away mulling over Alice and Edward. I reminded myself that now that I knew their names I needed to decide which one of them I was suddenly in love with. Not that it made a difference I said to myself. I was very sure that they had no interest in me at all. I mean hell I didn't even know if Alice liked girls.

"Bella we're here," Mike said waving his hand in my face.

"Oh sorry," I murmured stepping into the classroom, where I was greeted by one empty lab stool. Right next to Edward Cullen. Taking a breath I made a mental note of how high the stools where. I did not need to faint off one of those. That's all I needed was to crack my head open in front of him.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: This is broken into three points of view: Edward's, then Alice's, and then third person. Hope you enjoy, its somewhat of a long chapter. Funny story a paragraph before I was done my power went out and my computer was plunged into darkness. I almost shit myself. Thank god technology is faster than I am and auto saved it.

Disclaimer: Not mine. All Stephanie Meyers. Though I am tired of being single. Do you think Alice would give me a chance?

Edward's POV

Let me just say that I was not gloating. I wasn't trying to appear smug. And I did not feel good about hurting Alice. But I couldn't help but to throw my arms over my head as I turned to race back to the school.

It was like Bella had breathed life back into my body after so long of emptiness, and I couldn't help but feel the first glimmer of happiness I had felt in over a hundred years. It felt like Bella's soul had entered my body connecting us, more than making up for my lack of one.

And it did hurt me to be so harsh to Alice. One of the mixed blessings of mind reading is knowing exactly what everyone thought of you. Every second of ever day. I knew that she did love Bella. Not like I did, but in her own different way. I know that she loved her just as strongly. But I also knew that the love she felt was a selfish love. Blinded by her own denial.

That is what I believe the rest of my family suffers from. An intense form of self

denial. They all skirted around the subject of there morality like one would skirt around a dead animal in your path. They saw it, they knew what it was, and yet they acted as like it had no affect on their lives. I believe we Vampires lose our souls when we are changed. I'm not saying we can't love, or be angry, and have the experiences that one usually relates to a soul. No we still had those human experiences, but we lost what makes humans so human.

We have lost our innocence. We survive off of fear and misery. And we survive by taking the lives of beings beneath us. Sure my family and I survived off of animals. But they were still sentient creatures that had no chance to win against us, and I knew from experience that with the exception of Carlisle, we were all one drop away from murdering a human.

They have fought with me on this subject before. Others have tried to put reason to it, saying that we only do it to survive. And to them I say that, that is the answer a monster uses. I had to take his life to live myself.

And that was why I had exploded at Alice, because I saw Bella, my Bella, in her future, a soulless creature forever damned to live off the lives of lesser creatures. But what threw me over the edge was the fact that Alice didn't react in disgust, no she was excited, she looked towards that future as something to be happy about.

Still I thought to myself, misguided or not, Alice was slave to her emotions and feelings just as I was. As I neared the school I made the decision to apologize to her when I saw her again. I knew she had just seen that decision played out, but I would still do it.

Indeed I loved Alice, for all her flaws. I would hate myself even more if she did not recover. As I opened the doublewide doors too the main building I also decided to give her permission to befriend Bella.

As I walked towards my classroom, I thought more of Bella, somewhere I heard her through Mike Newton's mind telling him she had Biology. I ignored the incessant schoolboy crush chatter in his mind, and instead focused on Bella. It intrigued me and infuriated me at the same time that her mind remained a mystery. No matter how hard I tried I could not get the tiniest whisper from her brain.

I knew that she would love me from the vision, but still I wished to have some insight to the best way to strike up a conversation with her.

As I sat down in my seat I was thankful that the other human's in my classes had a natural instinct to remain separate from me, leaving the seat next to me, as always empty.

I looked towards the door to see her eyes fall on the chair next to mine, I could hear her heart start to beat loudly in her chest and I pushed the stool slightly with my toe to communicate it's vacancy. I almost laughed out loud when Mike Newton noticed it as well and shot his lab partner, his best friend of 10 years, a dark glare.

She sat down next to me and looked over to me, a polite hello falling off her lips. I worked up my best crooked smile, and opened my mouth to return the greeting. When it hit me. Her smell was the most intoxicating thing I had ever experienced. I could very nearly taste her on my tongue. A hundred people could have been bleeding behind me, and I would have not noticed it.

I could taste her on my lips, and deep in my stomach. My throat was alive with the most unbearable burn imaginable.

She was evil. Bella was no angel. She had come to me at that moment to destroy me. I would have to have her. I knew there was no question of it. The consequences would be horrible. I knew that, but I cared not at all.

I noticed her giving me an odd look and whipped my head away from her and began to survey my options. I would have to kill everyone in this room; of that there was no doubt. It simply wouldn't do for me to reach over and begin feasting on Bella in front of the entire class. No I would have to kill them all. My mind made up I began deciding how to do it. Each decision was more gruesome but more effective than the last. Finally I had a plan set in my mind.

Suddenly Alice's vision dropped into my head. Bella's eye's blood red and her skin white as snow. Yes, I thought to myself. I did not need to kill her to taste her. No I could change her instead. Then I would have her forever. She would be alive.

Did I have the restraint to stop myself I thought?

No…well maybe if I was stuffed. I would have to drain more than half the students in this room to satisfy myself enough to control the monster inside of me. I needed to be so full I could only take a drop of Bella's blood into my mouth before I had to stop. But that wouldn't be all together that hard. Just one taste of her was all I needed.

With that decision made I began to rework my original plan. I would have to kill the first half of the class starting from the front of the room and working back. Halfway through I would instead begin knocking them out, so they could not scream, and then feed on them quickly one after another till I felt full.

Yes that would work I said to myself.

I'm not sure if what happened next was God or the Devil's work. But I will pledge my existence to him if I ever find out which one it was, because at that moment the bell rung, everyone stood up stretching disturbing the air, and someone opened the door blasting me in the face with fresh air.

Instantly all my plans vanished and my face flooded with horror, not bothering to look behind me, I bolted for the door, pushing through the crowd of humans. I hit the ground running right out the door and began to run north. Making the decision to put as much space between Bella and myself as possible.

Alice's POV

I barely caught the vision of Edward apologizing to me. I was very far-gone at that moment. Intoxicated by the mountain lion I was currently feasting on. I had given over to my monstrous instincts and had let that side of me take over, not erasing, but definitely distracting me from my emotional pain.

It didn't mean shit to me at that moment, that Edward was going to apologize to me for being "harsh with me" as he put it. I was carefree at that moment.

Now a different vision came forwards. Awe, Edward was giving me permission to be friends with Bella. I snorted rather amused and said to no one in particular that the subject of me being friends with Bella was already a done deal weather Edward like it or not.

I was actually at the top of a large redwood, stuffing myself gluttonously on my kill. After an unfortunate hunting experience a few years ago, involving a rather large bear who had surprised me, I had taken to dragging my kills up a tree to eat.

Esme's said Edward's style resembled a mountain lion, while mine resembled a leopard dragging its own kill up a tree on the plains of Africa.

I sighed heavily as my vision clouded over again announcing another vision. I wanted to eat in peace, was that too much to ask of Edward?

Suddenly I was hit with the most horrific vision I had ever imagined. Edward was leaning over Bella. Her body was shaking uncontrollably as he drained her of her blood. Around them lay the bodies of what had to be around thirty other humans. Their lifeless faces masks of horror. I saw Bella's body give a shudder and then go limp in his arms as Edward drained the last of her life essence from her body.

When my eyes opened I was on the ground some 200 ft below where I had been. I rolled over to my side gasping for unneeded air. I lay there for half a second before I flew out of the crater I had created, pushing my body to the extreme heading back towards Forks. I had barely run half a mile before my body slammed to a stop.

Again I was assaulted with Edward. In this one he was running along the isle snapping necks, halfway through before someone started to scream. He decided that wouldn't work and my sight returned.

I understood what was happening at that point. The first vision was him deciding to kill Bella. Now he was deciding how best to accomplish it.

I pushed my body harder, knocking over trees in my wake, and again I was stopped. And again I was running, and then stopped again. Each time Edward made a new decision, a new altercation to his plan I was rendered unmovable by it.

I was close to 30 miles from Forks when again I was stopped. This vision different from the others instead of Bella's life shuddering to a bloodless end, Edward flew away from her, a thin trail of his venom running from his manic grin and the deep wound on her neck.

"My love," he cooed to her, petting her softly. "Now we will be together forever."

When my sight returned I was not standing still. I was moving, I was fighting the paralyzation my vision induced. For Bella I was breaking through it, running blindly, towards her. With each vision I was assaulted with I was able to run faster.

Suddenly the visions changed. Lifeless corpses did not surround Edward, and a Bella, forever immortalized with his venom for eternity, was not standing by his side. Instead he was running away from Fork High. His eyes blackened by his unquenched thirst. He had decided not to kill Bella. Now he was running in the direction I was running from. I figured we were about 5 miles from each other at that point. On a collision course.

"Good", I thought, "let him run straight into my hands, the better to rip him apart with."

Third Person POV

Alice and Edward exploded through the clearing at the exact same time, meeting in the middle with a sound reminiscent to the sound of thunder. The hit each other arms outstretched, gripping each other's shoulders. Throwing both vampires backwards across the field.

Alice was up a split second faster than Edward and barreled towards him throwing him over her shoulder. Spinning around she pressed the soul of her shoe to his throat, cutting off a growl forming in his throat.

Quickly reaching his hand up he attempted to grab her leg to flip her off of him. Seeing his intentions a split second ahead she jumped up landing on the other side of him. Growling deeply she crouched in the attack position.

Edward shifted to the right a second too late behind her, then attempted to go left meeting the same reaction.

Both vampires sat hunched over, their granite bodies trembling with fury, their cold breath ragged. Finally Edward lowered his eyes. Conceding the fact that fighting Alice would be pointless.

"This is stupid," Edward said standing up and looking at Alice. "We might as well just fight ourselves to the death." He joked lightly, hoping to diffuse the situation.

"You almost killed her!" Alice shrieked out, the force of her voice knocking Edward backwards. "And then," she added pushing him hard in the chest, gaining more force behind her words, "and then you almost turned her! Less that an two hours after you jumped on your hobby horse and accused me of being a selfish uncontrollable monster, you were envisioning eternity with her. All so you could taste her blood."

"I know Alice," Edward said, a pleading tone creeping into his words. "It was her blood, I couldn't help myself." the sound in his voice coupled with the look on his face was enough to calm Alice down enough to think coherently.

She understood his feelings, however disgusting he was, they had all been in a situation where the price to pay was worth the relief they would get.

"It just over-powered me." He said shuddering.

"I know," Alice said rubbing her temple.

"It just all happened so fast."

"I know Edward!" She snapped at him. "I get it ok."

"This doesn't change anything," he said quietly. "Now I will be better prepared. I won't be so…surprised when I see her next."

"I figured as much," Alice mused.

"I will be with her." He said more to himself that Alice.

And at the end of that sentence, Alice's glazed over and they were both thrown into a vision. The first half was Bella, lifeless in his arms, his eyes red as the harvest moon. The second was Bella standing next to him. Her skin pearly white, and her eyes blood red. Changed and a glorious newborn vampire.

"NO!" Edward shrieked knocking Alice to the ground before she had come all the way out the vision. "What did you do to it?" He screamed into her face, venom dotting her cheeks, burning her skin.

Alice quickly flipped out from under him, drawing her hand to her cheek, shaking with rekindled anger.

"I didn't do anything Edward damnit! You know how my visions work. That is the future based off the decision you have just made, knowing all you know now."

"No," he yelled again. "That will not happen! Bella will not be changed!"

Again Alice's vision dropped off, this time both of them could see Bella but it was like she was behind a smoke screen. Her future unsure.

"How do I make it back to the first vision?" he demanded glaring at Alice.

"That is up to you Edward! My visions didn't come with a how to manual." She said starkly smoothing down her shirt.

"I will change it back to the first one," Edward said more to himself. "I need to go away. I need to think. Will you please go back and tell them I'm going to the Denali Clan for a few days."

"Sure," Alice muttered turning around. "Oh and Edward, you know that there was no way you were going to keep me from being friends with her right."

"Yah, I figured as much Pixie." He said softly over his shoulder.

"How long will you be?"

"A few days."

"Be safe." She said giving him the customary Cullen goodbye before breaking out into a run back towards Forks.

A vision stopped her for a second, and she let out her first real laugh in what felt like a lifetime as Edwards keys flung over her shoulder into her waiting hand.

"Might need those," he yelled and with that he tore off in the opposite direction, disappearing into the tree line.

Without a look back Alice flew towards Forks High, towards her Bella.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: So yah not much to say. I do feel I should give warning that I intend for this to be a rather long fic. If it's not moving towards the level of fluffiness you like quickly enough I apologize. I just really want to write it how I have it in my head, and that includes good helping of angst before the mind-blowing sex scenes. LOL

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't own any off them. All Stephanie Meyers.

Alice's POV

I was almost to the school when a vision stopped me; making me realize that Bella was in fact not simply different than most humans, she was without a doubt a magnet for death in fact.

In the few hours since I had become aware of Bella's existence, she had nearly been a casualty in a fight between Edward and I. She had shown absolutely no sense of self-preservation by sitting next to Edward, when most humans avoided us instinctually. And now she was a few minutes away from ending up under Tyler Crowley's van.

Quickening my pace I finally made it to through the woods back to Forks High. I stepped out into the parking lot next to Edward's Volvo, and held up a dismissive hand to Rose's over exaggerated exclamation of finally. Scanning the parking lot, I located Bella across the parking lot, attempting to open the door to an ancient red pickup.

Maybe she sensed my presence I'm not sure, but she turned around and quickly met my gaze flashing me a self-conscience smile. I was instantly dazzled by her, and was completely oblivious to Rosalie rooting in my pocket and retrieving the keys with a yip of glee. I raised my hand and waved at her, suddenly feeling very much the teenager I looked like.

Of course the moment was ruined by the sound of screeching tires, announcing that Tyler had decided to exit the parking lot at a ridiculously high speed, hitting an ice pack, and sending his gigantic van turning wildly around like a spinning top. She ripped her eyes from my face and held up her hands in front to shield her from the small boat on wheels drifting uncontrollably towards her person.

I heard Rose let out exasperated curse word, and flung my body across the parking lot in less than a second, going un-noticed by the humans whose eyes were fixed on the van. I gave Bella a full body chuck, pushing her down towards the ground as I rounded my shoulder off to take the hit.

And as if the van had suddenly became self-actualized and received the gift of visions, it changed paths, it's front wheel heading straight for Bella's soft breakable head. To this I jabbed out my hand, my fingers easily going through the soft rubber and grabbed onto the metal rim of the tire, pushing it away. The van tottered and finally settled down with a heavy thud.

Giving the offensive van a glare, I quickly looked down and began inspecting Bella for damage, I knew by smelling her that she had the tiniest of cuts on the back of her head. A little blood, but not enough to put any of us except possibly Jasper over the edge really.

Noticing her shaking I quickly looked at her face, thinking she might perhaps be in shock. Instead she was looking at me intently, her chocolate brown eyes were pools of confusion, fear, and a little part, which I wishfully thought might be lust. Suddenly I became painfully aware of the position Bella and I was sitting in.

She was lying on the ground on her back, while I sat straddled across her, our centers wedged tightly together. My left arm was at her side holding me up above her, burning from the contact of the warm skin of her exposed abdomen. I could hear her heart beating quickly in her chest, and I almost yelped with excitement when she reached up and laid her hand on my forearm.

I could barely hear the words of the worried humans coming from the other side of the van. Next to me I felt Emmett appear and started to try to smooth out the dent shaped like my shoulder and head in the side of the van. I could hear Jasper's whispering quickly into the phone to Edward explaining the situation. When I heard Rosalie loudly clear her throat I quickly made to move out of the position I was still holding.

Bella reached out grabbing my hand to keep me from standing up.

"Hey Alice," she said breathlessly, an odd smile on her lips.

"Hello Bella," I said laughing lightly. Her self-consciousness was absolutely adorable. "It's nice to meet you, we're going to be friends you know?"

I caught the momentary look of disappointment on her face, before her confusion at my words finally caught up with her brain and relayed the feeling to her face. "Ok…you will explain this to me won't you?"

"Yes," I said quickly. "All will be explained. But for now will you just trust me and kind of go with the flow about what we say?"

"Sure, why not." She said half-heartedly pushing herself up. Feeling her hand leave my arm I was flinched, instantly missing the warmth. Wincing she ran her hand over the back of her head to her cut, and then looked at the small amount of blood on her fingers.

"Crap," she said as her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out.

Putting my head to her chest I heard her heart beating normally.

"Did she pass out from that little drop of blood on her hand?" Emmett asked choking back a laugh.

"That she did." I said finally moving from the straddling position.

"Wow…humans are so fucking hilarious," he said crawling under her truck. "See you at the hospital Tink."

"Right," I said trying my best to adopt a look of shock as five human boys finally pushed the van away from us.

I tried my best to act shaken but adamantly refused to be looked over by the EMT worker, assuring him I only had a slight headache and I would make sure to have my father check me over at the hospital.

I did however accept a ride in the ambulance to the hospital, with Bella. Gotta keep up appearances after all. After the EMT technician assured himself with the fact that Bella had indeed only fainted from the sight of the blood and not from a horrible head injury he busied himself with texting, rolling my eyes, I looked down to Bella and noticed her lips moving softly, a few words parting them.

My heart gave phantom skip when I heard her say my name and I suddenly felt very warm and fuzzy inside. The feeling was ripped away when she said Edwards name just as softly. Setting my jaw I looked away from her quickly, reminding myself that I was only supposed to be friends with the girl anyways. It was better for her to be thinking of Edward, especially now that I knew she was a magnet for death and such.

When we pulled into the hospital they quickly rolled Bella off to the back and I put my hands in my pockets, flustered as I decided to go find Carlisle. As I had figured I would, when I opened the door to his office I was met with a frantic looking Edward and five other vampires who looked like haggard parents who had just explained to there child for the hundredth time there would be a Christmas.

Instantly Edward enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug as he manically thanked me over and over again for saving his Bella. Knowing that there was no point in fighting it I patted him on the back reassuringly, saying over and over again that it was ok.

"I should have been there." He said stepping back and running his hand through his panic stricken face.

"Really Edward, it's ok."

"But her blood spilled, you could of lost…"

I cut him off with a loud growl, pushing him back up against the wall quickly. "Do not finish that sentence Edward." I snapped out glaring into his eyes. Seeing the next sentence forming in my head, he quickly cut me off.

"I'm sorry Alice," he said relaxing in my grip. "I know you wouldn't hurt Bella. I just over-reacted."

"Yes, you did Edward," I said releasing his shirt. What I was about to say was that I was not the one who had spent an hour plotting her demise, and had been literally saved by the bell. Apparently Edward did not want the rest of the family to know how strongly Bella affected him.

"I'm going to go to her now," Edward said smoothing out his shirt, and looking to Carlisle for his approval.

"Yes," Carlisle said nodding at Edward his finger massaging his temples. "Perhaps that would be best. I think you should, well try to explain to her about the situation. Jasper said she was feeling very open to possibilities in the parking lot. Right Jasper?"

"Yes," he said stepping forwards. "I don't think she will have a hard time believing Edward." At that his eyes shifted towards Edward and back to me questioningly. Of course he had noticed our little silent exchange earlier. Edward shot me a warning glare and stalked out of the room quickly.

As if on cue we all let out a collective sigh and walked towards the door to leave. Jasper put his hand in mine giving it a small squeeze and I leaned into his shoulder when we reached the parking lot.

"What was that about?" he asked quizzically.

"I'll tell you later," I chuckled. "Right now I think I feel like going home and taking nice long hot shower."

"I'll race you there," he laughed running ahead.

I started to give chase but was stopped by a vision. I couldn't make out much except glimmers. Three strange vampires I was not familiar with walking onto the baseball clearing in what looked about a month from now. Shaking my head as the vision cleared I made note to tell Carlisle about it when he returned home, definitely not thinking lightly of the blood red eyes the three were sporting.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: So wow! I am totally psyched that so many of you like my story. I feel like the B rate actress breaking out into the big leagues and declaring "You like me! You really like me!" in front of a packed award show. But so yes, thank you so much for all your praises. Like I said, settle in though, this will be a long and bumpy story. At times you will not like me. But just wait. I promise to redeem myself.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Really they all belong to Stephanie Meyers. I swear. I'm just borrowing them for a bit.

Bella's POV

When I awoke I was startled see Edward staring at me morosely from my bedside. Seeing my surprise he instantly smiled warmly at me, his worried eyes showed no signs of the blackness I had encountered mere hours before. Leaning forwards he crossed his arms and rested his chin on the edge of my bed. Without thinking I reached forwards and ran my hand up his cheek softly. His skin was cool and hard like Alice's, and it made my skin tingle.

Thinking of Alice I suddenly remembered everything that had happened to end me up sitting in a hospital bed and I jerked my eyes away from Edward, scanning my small room, expecting to see Alice. Seeing no one but Edward and an empty chair I quickly looked back to him.

"Where is Alice," I asked, trying to keep the hint of panic from breaking through the surface of my voice.

"Hello to you too," Edward said, his expression returning to the morose grimace.

Noting the hurt look on his face I mentally kicked myself and made to apologize. "I'm sorry," I said returning my hand to his cool face. "I'm very pleasantly surprised to see you here, I just expected Alice to be here…well after what happened." My explanation seemed to ease his discomfort because his warm smile returned.

"Oh yes of course. Alice said to tell you hi, and that she would come by to see you later, but that she needed to go home first and relax a bit."

Of course I thought to myself. After all that was Alice's shoulder that had stopped the van, I had just passed out from a few drops of blood. Still I could not help but to feel a real stab of disappointment and jealousy after what he said next.

"I'm not sure when she was planning to come back, but I could call Jasper for you if you would like. I am sure that they are together, and I Alice and I don't really communicate through the phone parse."

Of course she was with Jasper, I thought. And suddenly I remember seeing them together at the table, Alice leaning slightly on his arm. I wracked my brain for the information Jessica had given me about their family at lunch before I had passed out. Did she say that Jasper and Alice are a couple? I think so. I know she said that Emmett and Rosalie were. Yes, yes she had said Jasper and Alice were.

Suddenly feeling very foolish for the ideals I had entertained earlier I focused my attention back on Edward. He still sat in the same position looking at me with his golden eyes, breathing lightly. His face held no sign of the look of hatred and contempt I had seen in our class together.

Suddenly all the questions I wanted to ask him, slammed into me like a brick wall. I wanted to know everything and I wanted to know now.

Possibly sensing the oncoming onslaught of questioning Edward put his finger to his lips. "I know you have a lot of questions, and Alice did promise we would explain everything to you. And I intend to answer all of your questions. But first what do you think?"

"I'm not sure what I think. I want to know what happened to you in class."

"That is a very complicated thing," he said leaning back and rubbing his temples. "I intend to explain it to you, but not right now."

"Ok fair enough," I said sitting up. "What about what just happened? Alice was on one side of the parking lot and then a second later was right next to me pushing back a gigantic van with her shoulder." At this point my voice started to rise a little. "And then when he thought I didn't notice, your brother Emmett crawled under my truck and began smoothing out the dent shaped like her head."

"I'm so sorry about that Bella," he said dropping his face. "I should have been there to save you."

"Why weren't you there," I asked taken aback by his reaction.

"It kind of has to do with my reaction in class. I'm not trying to beat around the bush I swear. I just don't think the entire explanation would be best given here."

"Well when then?" I asked crossing my arms and huffing.

At that he smiled at my frustrated look, "How about this weekend? Do you have any plans?"

"Actually yes I do. Saturday I am going with a couple of the kids to the beach. Would you come? We could talk then."

"What beach are you going to?" he asked, a crooked smile setting on his face, and making me forget my anger at his avoidance of my questions.

"La Push, down on the reservation."

"Oh, no I don't really think I can make it."

"I could cancel."

"No go, it's fine. We could talk Sunday instead? Give you a chance to mull over your thoughts some more."

"Ok," I said slowly. "Can I ask you a few more question so I can form a hypothesis to explain all this? I promise to not push if you don't want to answer anything."

"Ok shoot," he said leaning back into the arms crossed position on the side of me bed. "But no asking for any more explanation than the ones I give you for now."

"Deal. Why is your skin so cold?"

"Because it's dead skin."

I stopped and stared at him with this. The explanation seemed so normal coming from his lips. "But how?"

"Ah ah Bella, we made a deal. Next question."

"Ok," I said still caught up in the last one. "How did Alice stop that van? I mean she is so tiny. It would have squished me."

"We're all…very strong you see." And as if to drive his explanation home he lifted up my bedside table like a napkin.

"Ok," I said choking back a plea for more explanation. "What about your eyes? They were black earlier and now they are gold."

"Next question."

I click my tongue in annoyance and thought of my next one. "What happened between Alice and you in the cafeteria? You two looked like you were about to fight."

"Oh," he said visibly startled. "You actually saw that?"

"Well yah I was staring right at you."

"But it happened so fast."

"I was staring closely," I said my cheeks lighting up red from a blush.

"We had a disagreement."

"About what?"

"Nothing important. More just a bout of sibling rivalry."

"Ok what about…"

"I'm sorry Bella, we're gonna have to disband the Q&A session for now. I hear your father coming now."

At this I made to object.

"Don't worry, Sunday I will tell you everything. Just go home and rest and think about the situation."

"Ok" I said crossing my arms for the hundredth time.

"Bye," he chuckled walking to the door.

"Bye," I said after him.

Sure enough less than a minute later Charlie burst through the door still in uniform, his face plastered with worry.

"My god Bells, you've only been here for one day and you nearly get killed." He said walking quickly to my bedside. "Do you have any ideal what Renee is going to do to me? You should have heard her on the phone."

"You called her?" I said holding back a laugh as I swung out of the bed and giving him a sort of half hug.

"Yah I had to."

"Oh dad she's going to be freaking out. I'm fine, all I have is a little cut on my head. I passed out from the…"

"The blood, I know it gets to me too."

"Really?" asked looking at his face. "I never knew that."

"Yep always has."

"Hmm," I mused leading the way to the door. "In any case I'm fine. Not even a broken bone. It's got to be like a record for me."

Behind me he chuckled and put his hand on my shoulder. "Ok kid lets get out of here."

"Lead the way pops," I said sidestepping and letting him take up the lead. In my lifetime I had learned it was important for me to learn the layout of my local hospital, and seeing as I had come in here unconscious, I figured it would be better to just let him do the leading.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Not much to say. Thanks for reading everyone!

Disclaimer: Not mine. All Stephenie Meyer'

Bella's POV

After returning home from the hospital I called my mom and reassured her that I was not dead, and that she did not need to fly out here. I talked to her a few minutes about school, quickly skirting around the issue of boys. I did not feel like explaining that I had been interested in a girl and boy today, both of which sported "dead skin" and super human strength.

Charlie ordered pizza for dinner and we sat in amicable silence. Speaking only once, long enough for both of us to agree that the crust was slightly burnt. When we were done Charlie offered to do dishes and I gladly obliged realizing that though I had spent a good chunk of my day passed out, I was extremely tired.

Getting up to leave I thought twice and gave Charlie a light hug, kissing him on the cheek. He stiffened a bit but patted me warmly on the arm wishing me a goodnight.

I walked into my room and booted up the ancient desktop computer sitting on my desk, one of Renee's prerequisites for me moving up here. Figuring it would take the computer at least thirty minutes to get connected I went to take a shower. Taking special care while washing my hair, I looked up to the ceiling and began repeating my multiplication times tables, ignoring the blood I was sure would circling the drain now.

Jumping out of the shower I toweled off and threw on my ratted pair of pajama pants and a long sleeve shirt, I was still not accustomed to the nippiness of the cold air, and the ancient central air system in the house did little to warm my body at night.

Walking into my room I opened firefox and stared blankly at the computer, not quite sure how to begin my search for information. I looked up cold skin and then dead skin, and decided to figure that out later as I all I got were sites for some rather disturbing porn.

Instead I typed super human strength into yahoo and was hit with a few hundred sites pertaining to adrenaline rushes and near death experiences. Not getting what I wanted I added the words black eyes, and cold skin to my search and hit go. My eyes got big at the results.

Vampires.

Deciding that maybe I should just wait for Sunday after all I quickly sent an email to Renee, once again declaring my livelihood and shut the computer down.

Stretching and yawning loudly I crawled into my bed and wrapped myself in my quilt, falling asleep within seconds.

I woke up around three o'clock a.m. with the sensation of cold lips being pressed to mine. A cold hand rested on my waist and I opened my mouth to ask who it was and felt a cold soft finger press against my lips.

"Shh." I heard Alice whisper as she once again pressed her lips to mine, teasing them with her tongue as if asking for permission. I opened my lips slightly and felt her tongue press run softly against mine.

Alice mewed softly as I ran my hand up her waist, stopping at the soft incline of her breasts. Sensing my hesitation she smiled into my mouth as she moved my hand to her chest. I felt myself warm between my legs when I realized she wore no bra, and moved the covers to try and pull her underneath with me.

Suddenly she stiffened and pulled away from my touch and my lips. They felt colder with out her.

"Where are you going?" I asked breathlessly.

"Back to Jasper," she said slipping one leg over my windowsill. "Don't worry, Edward will be here soon." And with that she was gone.

Flopping back onto my pillows I nearly yelped with surprise when I felt another hand move up my thigh. My eyes fluttered open and I stared into Edwards, intense gaze.

"What are you doing here?" I asked pushing myself up on the bed.

"I'm here to love you."

"But Alice?"

"Is with Jasper." And with that he crushed his lips against mine.

The felt difference than Alice's. Not bad, but not as soft and gentle as hers had. They were harder, more pushy. I felt more like Edward needed to be kissing me. Like I had somehow become the center of his universe, and I wasn't sure I wanted that.

"I love you," he whispered looking at me. His eye's black. "And I'm sorry but I have to do this." And at that he flung himself back his expression changing to that of a monster. When he came back down to me his mouth was wide opened, his sharp teeth aiming for my neck.

I rolled away from him and fell of the bed and woke with a start.

"Shit!" I exclaimed loudly looking around my room nervously.

I heard a few loud thuds, and then Charlie burst through my room, gun in hand. "Bells what happened?" He said looking at me down on the floor, and then to my opened window.

"Nothing," I said grumpily, whilst trying to extract my legs from the sheet tangled around my legs.

"No wonder you're always cold," he said shutting my window and grinning down at me with an extended hand.

"Yah," I mumbled back letting him pull me from the floor.

"So Bells what are your plans for the day?" he asked putting his gun in his holster.

"I'm going to La Push with some people I met from school."

"That sounds like fun. Make sure to be careful though, that beach is a safety hazard." He said grinning at me. Charlie was like me in the way that he also had trouble controlling his feet at times. He started to walk to the door and then stopped. "You know you should call Jacob Black and tell him you're going out there. You can thank him for fixing up your truck for you."

"I'll do that," I said smiling thinking of my childhood friend. I had not seen Jacob in at least seven years and was curious about how the young smiling boy from my memories had turned into such a mechanic extraordinaire. When I had seen my truck, a gift from Charlie, I had expected it to die within a couple of minutes. But it worked great, and the heater had been super charged to my liking.

"Ok Bells, have fun," he said shutting my door.

"Right." I said giving my window a glare before I gathered my clothing and head off for she shower.

After my shower I did some light cleaning of the house before leaving to meet the rest of the group at Mike's father's sports and outdoor store.

The ride to La Push took about fifteen minutes and I rode with Mike and Jessica trying to keep in the conversation, but it was difficult when my thoughts kept returning to my dreams from last night.

"Shit," I said suddenly realizing I had not called Jacob.

"What's up?" Jessica said turning back towards me.

"I meant to call one of my friends that live out here on the reservation and invite him to come hang out."

"No problem," she said sending me back a cell phone. I was not fooled by her sudden generosity. She wanted nothing more than for me to be distracted away from Mike. You would have had to be a fool to not know she wanted his babies, and hard.

The phone rang three times before Jacob picked up. I told him about the picnic we had planned and he agreed to meet us down there with a few friends and some hot dogs in tow.

When we arrived I was very distraught to find that the picnic spot was about a hundred or so feet below us off the side of the cliff. A small rickety path the only thing leading down. A historical plaque next to the top noted that the path had been built over two hundred years ago. Great…and now Alice's heroic van stopping would all be in vain.

Walking very carefully I followed the group down the path to the beach opening, making sure to set my foot down flat before putting any weight on it. Finally I made it down the side with only one small slip. At the bottom of the staircase I was met with the huge grin of Jacob Black. He had grown at least two feet since I had last seen him. Now towering over me at, at least 5'10".

I was instantly enveloped in a large bear hug and I could hear Mike mutter something behind me back about Jacob's age. Ignoring him I hugged back whole-heartedly. I had a certain fondness for Jacob because he was one of he few things I had enjoyed about summers with Charlie.

"Hey Shorty," he said finally releasing me from his hug.

"Hey there stretch," I said giving him a playful punch in his abs. He pretended to act hurt and then preceded to introduce us to the group of guys standing behind him.

The group made the way over to a fire the guys had made and before long the air was mixed with the sounds of laughter and sizzling hotdogs.

"So Bella," Lauren said leaning forwards. "I would of thought you would invite Alice Cullen here after she saved your life and all."

"Um no," I said my cheeks reddening. "I did invite Edward, but he said he couldn't come."

"The Cullens don't come here." One of the Quileutes said slowly. His tone was serious and enough to end the conversation right there.

But I was curious. So after another thirty minutes or so, I asked Jacob if he felt up for going for a walk. As we walked we joked and reminisced about our shared childhood experiences, and I pondered the best way to breach the subject of what had been said earlier about the Cullens.

Finally I just decided to cut to the chase and at a break in the conversation quickly slipped in my question.

"What did that guy mean when he said the Cullens don't come here? The way he said it sounded like they aren't allowed."

At this Jacob laughed uneasily. "It's kind of a long story.

"I've got all day."

And so Jacob told me the legends about his ancestors being werewolves. Protectors of humans and mortal enemies to the vampires. And then he got to the part about the Cullens. I listened closely, each detail he gave helping me to form my hypothesis.

"So anyways that's the story," he said leading me back towards the group.

"Thanks for telling me that," I said giving him a half hug.

"Well you don't believe it right?" He asked a funny smile on his face.

"Oh course not," I said trying to keep a neutral tone.

"Hey Bella we're ready to go," Mike said walking towards me, Jessica in tow.

"Awesome." I turned towards Jacob and gave him a hug. "Come and see me in town sometime giant."

"Alright pintsize. And Bella."

"Yah?"

"Watch out for the Vampires."

I laughed to myself at that. Oh if only Jacob knew.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Don't worry this is nowhere near the end of the story. I promise.

Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters do not belong to me in the least. They are all Stephenie Meyer's. I just take em out and play with them when she is not watching.

Edward's POV

As I sat perched on the tree outside Bella's room I thought about how today was going to go. Today was the day that everything would come out and be made clear for Bella. About what we are, how we live. And today I also hoped to show her how deeply I cared for her. I feared that it would all be too much too soon.

I mean, I had just met her three days ago, and I had acted like a monster at that. I don't think I can express the amount of shame I feel for all the events that occurred on Friday. First I became so blinded by blood lust I put her in danger of first death, and then nearly condemned her to live like a monster for all eternity.

And then on top of that all, instead of being there to protect my Bella, I ran off, leaving her to nearly be killed by that horrid van. Alice didn't understand. I mean yes it was great that she saved her. But that was supposed to be me. I was supposed to be the one who was there for her. I was the only one who truly had her well being in mind. Alice might not of hurt her. But she could of used Bella being the slightly bit hurt as an excuse to change her.

To tell the truth I did not want Bella to know about me life. I had originally planned to not tell her about what we are. I don't think it will help her, but now after everything that has happened, I don't believe I have a choice.

Her safety is now what I am worried about. Alice has been getting flickered visions of a group of Nomads making their way towards Forks. She's not sure when though so I want to take extra precautions when it comes to Bella. Alice I believe relies to heavily on her visions. She uses them to predict a future that is always changing and I refuse to use them as anything but a warning system.

What I'm more worried about now is what I will do with Bella whenever I have to go hunting. Her blood tempts me so, and I already know that I will need to hunt twice as much than usual than to protect her. I know my best option of my family will be to leave her with Alice. She does care for Bella, I will just have to make positive that she understands I will fight for Bella's well being.

I intend to be here for Bella until it is no longer safe for her. Then I will leave and I will take the rest of my family with me. Kicking and screaming if I must.

I was drawn out of my troubled thoughts when I realized that Bella had left her room. Not being able to hear her thoughts were maddening. Glancing down at my watch I realized it was five till I was supposed to meet her. Jumping out of the tree I made to run to my house to retrieve my car.

Bella's POV

I wouldn't say I was really all that surprised to see Edward waiting out front in front of his Volvo when I opened my door. In fact I was rather happy that he was so damn punctual about the whole thing. Walking towards him I felt slightly annoyed by the cocky look on his face.

"What are you so excited about?" I asked letting him open the door for me.

"Today," he said less than a second later appearing in the driver's seat. A little more of that super human speed. "Put your seatbelt on," he said starting the car and shifting it into gear.

I glared at him and clicked in my seatbelt. He saw the look and stopped smiling. Instead focusing on the road in front of him. What is wrong with me today? I thought to myself. He tells me to put on my seatbelt and I react like he's just suggested I go cook him something to eat.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm not much of a morning person."

"Forgiven," he ground through his teeth and then relaxed. "So any good theories?"

"Well I thought for a while of some sort of Superman thing for a while. But I decided that couldn't be it. I came up with one ideal, but it sounded stupid until yesterday."

"And what made it sound un-stupid?"

"I saw my friend Jacob and he told me an interesting story."

"Interesting how?"

"Well Jacob lives on the reserve…" I said slowly.

"Oh…oh," he said looking at me, realization sinking in.

"Yah," I said slowly.

We sat in silence for a few seconds as Edward pulled the car into a dirt parking lot. Looking around I realized it was a parking lot for hikers.

"We're hiking?" I asked a little panic creeping in my voice.

"I'll carry you," he said opening my door a second later.

"You'll carry me?" I said a little disbelievingly.

He started laughing hard at that and it took him a near a minute to calm down. I stood with my arms crossed glaring at him.

Finally he calmed down and stepped towards me. "What's so funny?" I asked looking into his golden eyes.

Putting both hands on my cheeks he gave me a slight kiss and I blushed a little. "Bella, the day before yesterday my little sister stopped a van from killing you, and today you're doubting if I can lift you."

I blushed furiously at that and felt myself swoon a bit under his touch. "Oh yah," I mumbled out. Looking into his eyes I felt hypnotized. Finally he released me and stepped back a bit. "You know you shouldn't do that." I said uncrossing my arms.

"Do what?" he asked sounding slightly worried.

"Dazzle me like that. It's not fair."

At those words his face broke out into a huge gleeful smile. "I'll try to remember that. So are you ready?"

"Sure," before I actually had the word out Edward had me in his arms caring me like I weighed nothing at all. Sucking back nausea I buried my face into his chest, trying to shut out the trees that were racing past us.

Less than a minute later I felt us come to a standstill but I kept my eyes tightly shut.

"We're here," he murmured setting me back down on my feet. Opening my eyes I was instantly hit with the most amazing thing I had ever seen. The sun had broken through the clouds and Edward's skin was ablaze like a thousand tiny diamonds had been grafted to his skin. Briefly I wondered what Alice would look like, but forced the image out of my head.

I had come here with a decision made. Alice was obviously involved with Jasper, and not interested with me anyways. Otherwise I figured she would be here with me. She would be explaining this to me, like she said she would. But she wasn't. And Edward was. She had made my decision for me.

"So that's why you don't come out in the sunshine," I asked shakily?

"Yes, what do you think I am Bella?"

"You're a vampire," I said breathlessly.

Over the next couple of hours he answered all my questions readily enough. He explained about how his family and he himself only ate animals. He explained about their strength, and their speed. About their skin.

He told me about Carlisle and Esme being surrogate mother and father to them. He told me about Emmett and Rosalie's relationship, and a little about Jasper and Alice's. The last one I did not want to hear about so I quickly swayed the conversation away from that.

In the end I still had at least a thousand questions to ask, but the sun was beginning to set and I knew Charlie would worry.

He said that he was in love with me.

And I told him it back. I wasn't, but I was going to try and be, because I wanted to be happy too.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Boom baby, big chapter. Lol So yah here goes.

Disclaimer: Yada yada yada not mine all Stephenie Meyers.

Alice's POV

This vision was my favorite. In it Bella would ask me to come over to her house after school. We would walk up the stairs to her room and there she would tell me how much she loved me, not Edward. And then we would kiss like the world depended on our lips touching each other's.

I had had this vision three times in the last two months, each time thankfully, when I was far away from Edward and his mind reading capabilities. I stayed far away from Edward these days, spending only the necessary amount of time required around him. I guess I can be thankful that he was so preoccupied with Bella that he did not question my reasons.

I did not want him in head, knowing what I was doing all the time I was away from Forks. Any time I could, I left to come here, the tree I had crawled up in fact on that first day we had met Bella. I could come her to think about her and all the time since then that had not served to help me get over her; in fact it had just made the hurt in my cold heart hurt more.

I would come here every night at sundown and crawl up my tree, while Edward was crawling into Bella's room at the same time some eighty miles away. Sitting in my tree, safe from the reach of any predator that might surprise me, I would literally torture myself all night long. I would decide to get out of the tree, go to Bella and surround myself in her love. And as soon as I would decide to do this I would be surrounded by visions of myself with her.

Visions of us kissing, of us holding hands, visions of her telling me she loved me. These visions became like a drug to me. All day they nipped at the edge of my mind, begging to be released, to be played before my eyes like a movie made just for my viewing pleasure. But I didn't let them; no I held back, I was not dumb. I knew that Edward was watching my mind whenever he was near me.

He wasn't looking for these visions, which I knew. But I still did not want to be on the receiving end of that realization. I had already had the unpleasantness of seeing what he had decided to do to me if I crossed that line. Edward was looking for the reoccurring visions of the Nomads. I had them now more frequently, and they were much more pronounced.

There were definitely three unknown Vampires making their ways towards Forks. What they wanted I was not sure. I didn't even know if they knew what they were walking forwards. Carlisle though told me he thought that their arrival would affect our family, and that is why I was having visions of these Vampires I had never met.

Usually the visions focused on the blonde leader. He seemed to be calling the shots and making the decisions to turn in this and that direction. I couldn't be sure but I knew that I knew him. But that was impossible, as I did not remember anything of my human life at all.

And then to add to my torture I was now getting these visions from Bella. As if keeping my own visions secret, while making sure to broadcast my visions of the Nomads were not enough. Now I had to deal with Bella's visions.

And oh how I loved these visions. Or those three to be exact. I was so in tuned to Bella's frequency at this point I got visions when she decided what cereal she wanted. I had visions of her deciding to kiss Edward. And I was particularly tortured by one vision where she had decided to wash her hair before her body…all of which was played out in my eyes, better than any movie shower scene in existence.

But there were three visions that had hit me so hard I had fallen from my tree, gasping for unneeded air, and holding my eyes tightly shut, trying to hold onto the vision. Each one of the three was the same but with slight differences. The decision that had created them was simple. She would tell Edward she did not love him, and then tell me she loved me.

And then a second later she would change her mind and decided once again that she did love Edward. It was infuriating and I loved it. I could have lived the rest of eternity with just those visions playing on repeat.

While I was avoiding Edward, I was using every possible moment I could to spend alone with Bella. I think I took her shopping in Port Angeles like fifty times in the last two months, a number that even Rosalie had told me was slightly excessive. But I didn't care if it was crazy; I was spending time with her. I was there with her, not being interrupted at school, not putting up with Edward towering over my shoulder. It was the only time, besides at night when I could really let my thoughts wander. Of course I made sure to keep Edward on my decision radar, and thankfully I was plenty ahead of him every time he had decided to happen upon the same store we were in.

I also was there on the nights that Edward could not be, whether he was hunting, or Bella's "feminine condition" as he put it was present. I don't think he wanted to leave me there with her, but I knew he decided that I was the best choice to be there. I mean sure I could keep my thoughts from him, but I couldn't keep my feeling from Jasper, and Edward got the feelings from him second hand.

He knew I loved Bella still, and that fact was enough to form a slightly uneasy camaraderie between us.

So here I was now, up in my tree, letting the visions draw over me. Halfway through it another vision interrupted it. The family had decided to take my advice and take advantage of the thunder to play a game of baseball before it became to dark and the thunder stopped. I considered going when I saw Bella with them in the vision but decided against it.

Relaxing my eyes I tried to return to my other visions, when I felt another vision start to push forwards again. I huffed indignantly and let the vision take over. My back stiffened when I realized it was the Nomads again. And they were close, the three of them walking along a stream populated by amateur fishermen. The blonde's head snapped as he caught a whiff of something from down wind and heard the sound of Emmett's powerful fastball colliding with Jasper's bat.

"I believe some Vampires are playing ball." He mused looking towards the others. "Should we go and join them?"

"It's been along time since we have seen others of our kind, it might be nice to visit." The female redhead said nodding her head.

"Laurent?" the blonde said turning towards the other man in their small coven?

"Why not?" He nodded. "I do suggest we go slowly though. I don't fancy walking into a large group and I believe I heard something from the last nomads we ran into about a large coven up here who had taken a permanent residence. It would be very rude of us to barrel in unannounced."

"Yes very," the blonde, said sarcastically, and then taking a deep whiff of the air growled softly. "On the other hand, I smell something absolutely delectable coming from their direction. Maybe they will share their lunch."

And with that the vision disappeared with the three off them running towards the clearing.

I hit the ground running at full speed, leaving a path of downed trees in my wake. I figured they had been forty miles away from the clearing and I was at least still seventy. The only advantage I had was that I knew what they would find in the clearing, and they did not. Vampires are by nature not friendly towards humans, and I knew that they would not understand my family's refusal to eat Bella, when she was so damn appetizing.

Damning her blood I opened my mind as wide as I could, broadcasting my vision to Edward as loud as I could. Finally when I was about three miles away from the clearing I knew he had heard me because suddenly a vision announced his decision to run with Bella.

"NO!" I screamed mentally. "They are too close! They would overtake you in an instant!"

Again my vision changed, Bella was now behind my family as they surrounded her, trying to mask her appealing scent with their own by frothing their venom up in their throats.

I passed into the clearing a split second before the Nomads did, opposite to them. Seeing the blonde one look oddly at me, I tried to cover for my maddened appearance, exclaiming that I had not been able to find the lost ball. Behind him I saw Emmett shove the ball down his pants.

Frothing up my own venom I slipped behind my family taking Bella's trembling hand in my own, and giving her a reassuring look stepping in front of her.

"Hello," the blonde said stepping forwards. "My name is James, this is my mate Victoria. And this is our traveling companion Laurent," he said pointing at the vampire by his side in turn.

"Hello," Carlisle said extending a hand and stepping forwards. "My name is Carlisle and this is my family."

"It is nice to meet you. It is not often that one runs into such a large group of Vampires."

"Yes, well my family and I keep up a permanent residence close to hear."

James considered this, his eyes flickering to each of our own eyes. They rested on Bella a second long than the rest of ours and I had to fight back a deep growl. I felt Bella tighten her hand on my own and I squeezed back.

"My that is interesting," he said slowly.

"Yes, I would appreciate it if you refrained from hunting here."

"Of course, my companions and I just heard your ball game and wondered if we could play? We don't get to socialize often."

"Perhaps a rain check," Carlisle said backing up towards us. "I'm afraid my family and I were just planning to turn in when you arrived, especially now that we have lost our playing ball."

"Yes of course, a rain check."

"Until then?"

"Until then," James said turning back towards the woods, at that moment the fates that so hated Bella decided to intervene, sending a hard breeze past her, sending her scent towards the Nomads.

At once all their backs stiffened and a mix between a chuckle and a growl escaped James's lips. Turning around his eyes burned black with hunger. "So I did smell lunch," he said stepping towards Bella.

I saw his decision and Edward saw his intentions a second before everyone else and he was thrown backwards, one of Edward's hands on each of his shoulders as he had attempted to rush towards Bella. At our sides our family growled and puffed up, forming a barrier between them and Bella.

"The girl is part of our family!" Carlisle roared at them loudly, making Laurent and Victoria both flinch backwards. "She will not be hurt."

"Oh course," James gritted out between gritted teeth. And with that he turned and ran swiftly away from us.

I turned around where Esme and Carlisle were bent over Bella as she had just fainted. Looking towards Edward our eyes met and we began a silent conversation.

Suddenly my eyes clouded over as I saw James leaving Victoria and Laurent, heading towards Forks. He had already decided to kill Bella; it was now just a question of how and when. Turning towards the returning smell of Laurent I again puffed up as he waked slowly towards us, his hands up in peaceful gesture.

I could hear him explaining James's now obsession with Bella, and began to see small visions of the plan forming in Edward's head. I looked to Jasper pleadingly and he instantly went to Edward trying to calm his mind.

Reading my thoughts Edward slammed his fists to his head. "Then what do you suggest we do Alice?"

"Hello we can't all hear thoughts," Emmett complained loudly.

"Edward I agree, we have to get Bella out of here. But you can't be with her. It would be too dangerous! After your reaction when he lunged, James will be expecting you to stay with Bella."

"She's right Edward," Carlisle said resting a hand on Edwards shoulder. "The best thing to do would be for us to split up. You, Emmett, and Rosalie can run north, leading James in that direction. Esme, Jasper, and I can stay here to protect Bella's dad, and keep up the necessary appearances. And make the arrangements for a quick move," he added as an afterthought. "And Alice can take her away from here."

"But!" Edward began to shout.

"No Edward," Carlisle said holding up a hand in dismissal. "I know that you are apposed to that ideal for a specific reason, but it will be the safest for Bella. Alice will be able to see if James is about to attack."

I nodded throughout the conversation finally breaking in, "Where should I take her Carlisle?"

"I think it will be safest to take her to Phoenix. I am sure James will not go there, thinking we would not send Bella somewhere she has been before. In addition, he like the majority of Nomads will not feel comfortable in the "valley of the sun". They don't know how to navigate areas like that."

"Ok," I said walking over and picking up Bella, cradling her softly in my arms.

"Take my car, it will be the fastest and do not stop unless it is absolutely necessary," Carlisle said handing the keys to me.

"Alice!" Edward said stalking towards me.

"I know Edward!"

"No you don't! If she is hurt, I will hold you personally responsible. So protect her and keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself."

"Edward, I love her, if anything happens to her, I will hand myself over to a group of werewolves. Now start running!" I yelled at him, taking off Bella's jacket and handing it to him.

Nodding Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie turned and shot off towards Canada. Holding Bella closely to my chest I shot off towards the house.

Halfway there I heard Bella give a small gasp and then press her face hard to my neck.

"Where are we going?" She yelled into my neck, eyes shut tight.

"We have to get you out of her love," I said reaching the house. I quickly ran to the front and dumped Bella into the front seat jumping over the top I slid into the drivers seat and floored it down our driveway, fishtailing when we hit the pavement and heading into town.

"What about my dad?" Bella asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"He will be fine. Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme are watching him."

"And the others?"

"They are running north trying to lay a wrong trail."

"But what if they get hurt?"

Oh Bella…my selfless Bella. "They will be fine Bella, it is you the one James wants to eat."

"Oh," was all the Bella mumbled before she passed out in the passenger seat.

Smiling I shucked off my useless jacket and covered her with it. I hit the exiting Forks sign at one hundred and twenty mphs, and I had no intention to slow down until we reached Phoenix.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thanks for everyone who is reading and reviewing. It makes the Jojo so happy.

Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me! It all belongs to Stephenie Meyers. Oh wait except for Nicoló. I created him because I didn't think it would work well for Alice to just walk up the front desk with Bella slung over her shoulder. And I'm sure Carlisle realized it wouldn't be wise for him to use his card to reserve a room for them. What with James being a crazy tracker and all.

Alice's POV

We pulled into the hotel in Arizona at around six a.m., just as the sun was beginning to rise. At the exact same time in fact, that James was in my head, traveling like the wrath of the devil was behind him. I wasn't sure where he was now, but I know that he had figured out he was being led on a wild goose chase around two hours after I had successfully made away with Bella. Shaking the image in my head of the gruesome things he had decided to do to Bella and myself, I picked her out of the car gently, cradling her in my arms.

I froze when I turned around to find myself face to face with a strange vampire, whose red eyes were not lost on me. A deep growl emitted from my throat and I felt my eyes blacken over.

"I mean you no harm Alice," he said putting his hands up peacefully. "I am a friend of Carlisle's. He asked me to secure a hotel room for you so you could safely get your human up here." At those words I noticed he held a hotel key card between the fingers of his right hand.

Still tense I cautiously reached forwards and took the key card and put it into Bella's back pocket. Never once taking my eyes off of him.

"So that is the girl?" he asked turning towards the valet and handing him a crisp twenty-dollar bill.

"Yes this is Bella," I said stiffly.

"I have to say, I have always thought Carlisle to be a little odd. But I am glad that he has found a family that shares his moral beliefs."

"Yes." I said again.

"I'm sorry for rambling on, you of coarse will want to be getting up to your hotel room, and I myself would rather like to return home before that sun rises any more. I dare say the Volturi would not be pleased."

"No I'm sure they wouldn't," I said relaxing a little. "Thank you?"

"Oh I'm sorry how incredibly rude of me, my name is Nicoló," he said extending a hand.

"Thank you Nicoló."

"It was my pleasure. Send Carlisle well wishes for me. I believe that you will find your room to your liking, and I have taken the liberty of having some fresh clothing sent up for you human." And with that he turned and walked to the valet booth, and I made to the hotel as the sun broke out above the city's skyline.

Pulling the key card out of Bella's pocket I walked towards the bank of elevators, amused by the looks I was receiving from the other guests. I'm sure it looked odd to them, myself carrying Bella through the hotel like a child. But I didn't have the heart to wake her and have her walk, so I just pressed on.

Bella had slept for the majority of the trip down here, waking up only long enough to have a few human moments. I tried to convince her to let me stop and get her something to eat, but she insisted she was fine and returned to her troubled sleep.

Finally reaching our hotel suite, I opened the door and walked through the living room like area to the large bedroom. Taking special care I lade her gently on the bed, and shook her shoulder lightly.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled weakly.

"We are here."

"Oh," she said rubbing her eyes and taking in her surroundings.

"How do you feel?"

"Lousy," she said sadly.

"I think it is time for the human to eat?"

"Oh Alice, I don't think I could eat right now. Not with everything going on. I'll eat later."

"No you will eat now. I really don't think my family is risking their lives so you can starve yourself with worry." As soon as I finished that sentence I knew I had made a huge mistake. Bella's eyes filled up with tears and she began to shake.

"Oh no sweetheart," I said pulling her into my arms. "That was a stupid thing for me to say. You know as well as I do that my family is perfectly capable of protecting themselves. They are all safely together. James would have to be suicidal to go anywhere near them."

"What about you," she said looking up at me miserably.

"What about me?"

"You're all alone, what if James were to track us here? What would happen if he came? It would only be you."

"Hey," I said putting my hands on her trembling cheeks. "I promise that he will not get to you. He would have to kill me first."

"Alice don't say that!" she yelled, tears running down her face. "I'm not worried about what would happen to myself if he came. I'm worried about you damnit! I'm worried that James will come and hurt you to get to me! Because damnit Alice I can't lose you!"

And then she lunged forwards, capturing my lips with hers and pushing me down forcefully onto the bed. I was to taken aback by sudden furious attack to do anything to stop her, and after a moments second I returned the kiss with as much passion, my head swimming in the fact that less than five minutes ago I was convinced she was irrevocably in love with Edward. Bella took my hands and held them above my head as she straddled me with her legs; her lips staying attached to mine.

Moaning from the feeling of the warmth undulating from Bella's center, she took advantage of it, and plunged her tongue deeply into my mouth. Exploring the inside of my mouth, running her tongue against my sensitive teeth. I growled deeply inside my chest, and she began to shake on top of me.

It was like the world had ended and our lips together were the only things keeping us alive. Moaning into my mouth Bella ran her hand up my waist, her fingers leaving a scorching trail up to my breasts.

Suddenly I felt a vision begin to cloud over my eyes. I fought against, plunging my tongue deeper into Bella's mouth, eliciting a guttural moan from deep in her throat. The vision fought for dominance, forcing it's way into my mind. Bella was making a decision.

Bella telling Edward that their relationship was over.

Myself holding Bella securely as she slept the way she did now with Edward.

Bella trembling as she let me be the first to explore he body, to be the first to please her, and know her intimately.

Bella standing next to me, her skin porcelain white, her eyes now long brown, but now a soft golden color. Bella changed, for all eternity.

"NO!" I shouted into her mouth rolling from under her and pinning her beneath me before I jumped backwards off he bed. Backing up quickly I flattened myself against the wall breathing hard, letting the air penetrate my consciousness and return some degree of reason to my brain.

"What?" she asked breathlessly. "What did you see?"

"Bella, I saw what you just decided to do. You can't. I can't." I stuttered out between haggard breaths." That can't happen. You don't know what you're thinking. The repercussions for your decision are irreversible."

"But they are my decisions to make!"

"No, Bella I will not change you. I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not my place, and it's not the life for you."

"I am so tired of hearing that excuse! That is all I hear from Edward, 'That's not what I want for you Bella. That's not the life for you.' What about what I want. I thought you would understand. I thought you would do this for me."

"Is that what this is about?" I asked shocked disbelief creeping through my veins. "Did you think 'Well Edward won't do this for me, so I'll convince Alice to."

"Oh god Alice no," she said starting towards me.

"No Bella just stop," I said holding up my hand.

"Alice I didn't mean it like that."

"Then how did you mean it Bella?" I asked walking towards the door leading back into the living room area.

"I'm sorry Alice, I don't know what to say."

"Well when you figure it out, come find me!" I yelled slamming the door.

Stepping into the room I tried to breath calmly for a minute before I slammed my fist through the wall. The proceeding sobs from the bedroom behind me ruined the intended affect though and I felt even worse.

Breathing for a few seconds I made to turn around and go into the bedroom to talk to Bella. I knew that she had not met the words she said in the way I took them. I knew that because in my vision, she was standing next to me eternity.

But that was not enough. She would never, could never stand by me for eternity. I knew I could not have her. She's was Edwards. She was safer with him by far. Maybe he would not love her for eternity, but he would carry her as long as she needed to be carried. I knew without a doubt that I was not a strong as he was in that affect. I would choose the selfish path, I knew because of the feeling I had when I saw her immortal forever by my side.

She was better with Edward. Already my first vision of their life together had returned. It wasn't as picture perfect as Edward had originally envisioned it, but it no longer ended with Bella dead or immortal. Her future after was still hazy, because I knew it would be her decision about how she would handle it, but still Edward had the strength to walk away and leave that up to her.

As my hand touched the doorknob though I was quickly pulled into a vision. It was through James's eyes, he was still traveling. Where I still could not tell from the visions. He was running through the wilderness though. And he was running fast and he was close to his destination.

The vision served to remind me why I was here. It was to keep Bella safe, no matter what.

Taking my hand off the doorknob I instead walked back into the living room and dialed room service for Bella. Not knowing what she would like I ordered a little of everything and told them to charge it to the room.

And with that I settled down on the couch, to focus all of my attention on James. I discovered along time ago that if I could tune out my environment and concentrate hard on someone, I could pick up nearly every decision they made. But I was having trouble with James. Victoria I figured, because he was suddenly making decisions that made no sense to me, was helping him.

Suddenly I saw James hanging up his phone and smiling widely. He had decided where to kill Bella. I couldn't recognize the room as hard as I tried though. Taking up a piece of paper and pencil next to the phone, I began to sketch the room furiously, trying to memorize every detail.

I barely noticed the doorbell ringing until Bella walked though the room, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Walking to the door she opened it moving aside as the waiter wheeled three large carts into the room.

When he left I looked up at her confused face staring at all the food.

"I didn't know what you wanted so I just ordered it all," I mumbled, an invisible blush spreading across my face.

"Ah," she sniffled, a small weak smile gracing her lips. "Silly vampire."

Turning back to my drawing I began to fine tune it adding the smaller details. Bella sat down next to me picking at plate of greasy looking fries.

"Alice."

"Yes?"

"Can we talk now?"

"I don't think it would be very wise Bella."

"I just I wanted to say…wait…why are you drawing my old ballet studio?" She asked almost choking on a french-fry.

I patted her on the back until her breathing returned to normal and looked at her quizzically. "Is that what this is?"

"Yah I went there for like four months when Renee was on one of her 'My kid is a child prodigy' kicks."

"Bella, are you sure that this is the same place?"

"Well it looks a little different but it has the same sign hanging over the mirror still. Why are you drawing it?"

"I've been seeing it for like the last thirty minutes."

"Why?"

"I believe James has decided to kill you here."

"Oh well that's a good thing."

I snapped my head towards her, looking at her stunned. "How is this a good thing Bella?"

"Simple. That is where he is. I just need to decide not to go there. Which I believe I just did."

I couldn't help it, I started laughing. The simplicity of what Bella had just said was just so…so simple.

Looking into her eyes I saw a small twinkle as she sat down her plate and looked at me, her face adopting a more serious expression.

"Alice I just wanted to say…"

The phone ringing interrupted her and I jerked it towards my ear, not knowing if I could handle whatever she was about to say.

"Bella?" Renee's voice asked sounding near panicked. "Bella where are you?"

I drew the phone away from my ear and looked towards Bella. "It's your mom." I whispered. "She sounds worried."

"Oh god, Charlie must have called her."

"Quick go talk to her, there is a phone in the bedroom."

Watching her run into the room and close the door, I listened until she picked up on the other line. Setting back down I sighed and picked up my phone to call Edward and explain the situation to him.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Boom baby. I don't know why but I abso-fucking-lutely love writing from James's POV

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this sadly. Stephenie Meyers does though.

James's POV

It really was just this easy I thought hanging up the phone, and laughing to myself. Flicking off the television I gave a skip towards the VCR, hitting eject and sliding the home video into it's jacket.

"It never fails," I chuckled. "In the end I am always amazed by the stupidity of my prey."

"So she's coming?" Victoria said looking at me anxiously.

"Of course she is." I huffed irked by her presence.

"What if it's a trap? How do you know she won't walk in with seven skilled, furious vampires in tow?"

"Because," I said rolling my eyes irritated. "Bella suffers from being a stupid selfless human, just as much as any other snack does."

"But…"

"There is no but about it. Bella will come. She will walk willingly to her death, and I will take her life with sadly little to no struggle. She will not stop and realize that with even two of the Cullen's she would be safe and so would they. She will come in here determined to do the truly selfless thing. 'Die in the place of someone she loves."

"Why do you say it like that? I would die for you, wouldn't you do the same for me?"

I sighed heavily bringing my fingers to my brow, "Not now Victoria. Run along. I will get in contact with you after I am done."

"What do you mean?" her voice rising in panic. "I'm staying with you."

"No, no you are not." I said quickly and severely. "You will be nowhere near here tonight do you understand me. I will not let you ruin this with a bout of badly controlled bloodlust. What I intend to do takes control you do not possess."

"But you could get hurt."

I laughed loudly at this, venom flicking out and sprinkling her cheek lightly. "What do you think will happen to me? Do you think the girl will arrive and stake me in heart?"

"No of course not, but the others…"

"Will be nowhere near us, how many times must I say that?"

"Its just there is something strange about the smaller female. Like she knew before you did that you were about to attack."

"Really Victoria, paranoia does not look good on you. Now leave." And finally with that she turned and stalked out the door.

"Finally," I said out loud to myself. "I can prepare."

Turning around I knelt down next to the security guard I had disabled at the front door. He shook violently staring at me tied up on the floor. Leaning over him I bit into his neck, feeling his warm blood spray the back of my throat like water to a dieing man.

I absolutely demanded of myself to be full when I had finally tracked down one of my targets. I wanted to be completely in the moment and not a slave to my bloodlust. And this one, this was to be my crowning achievement. I had never in my existence felt such fiery passion for any prey. I yearned for Bella; I yearned to be the one to squeeze the life out of her, to watch the blood drain from her body before my very eyes.

At first she had started out as a particularly tasty smelling snack, but the reaction of that family when I made to snatch away her life; well it was truly like magic, if my heart could beat it would have broken through my chest. The passion in their eyes was like fireworks, and Bella was the powder keg that set it all off.

"And then! Oh god then!" I yelled loudly tearing myself away from the now rotting body in front of me. Oh and then, as if it was not a big enough gift to me, Bella had suddenly become the best target I had ever discovered.

Because oh god who should stand before me, quivering with "love" for this pathetic human but fucking Mary Alice fucking Brandon! Brava fate, you beautiful whore of a beast you. Mary, Mary, quite contrary. The one who had gotten away from me. I had targeted Mary much like I now targeted Bella. She started out as nothing more than a simple snack, and then another immortal suffering with the allusion of a soul had stepped forwards to lay claim on her. Not as a snack, not even as a future intended newborn, no as the "love of his life".

I take a special pleasure in targeting the human pets of vampires. I think it has to do with the fact that after I have destroyed their beloved pets, they have to live with it for all eternity. Their misguided sense of morality forces them to feel guilt that they could not save them in the end. The majority of them drove themselves crazy in the end and walked into the middle of a Volturi courtyard, all aglitter so to speak.

But oh no, the Vampire protecting little Mary had been smart enough and strong enough to turn her, making her of little interest to me truthfully. I was furious, of course. I took extreme pleasure in ripping him limb from limb.

But where was Mary? I could not find her anywhere; I had thought her long since dead in fact. It is not often that a newborn vampire survives without some sort of supervision or support from a more talented vampire. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw her in the clearing standing in front of the delectable little tart. It was like history was repeating itself, I nearly considered killing her right then but decided that this would be much more fun.

But then I was met with a dilemma. There was Mary, who obviously felt strongly for the human's well being. But there was also Edward, the male who had pushed me back so forcefully when I made to eat his precious little pet. Which of these vampires held the girls heart. Which wouldn't have the balls to leave her.

Unfortunately I bet on the wrong horse, giving chase to the male when I smelt Bella's scent leave with him to the north. I had been following him for about two hours when I realized I had been mistaken. Thankfully Victoria had once again surprised me with her usefulness and followed Mary and the girl.

No fret though, I liked it this way much better. It felt all so much more, well just so much more right. My targeting of Mary Alice Brandon had finally come full circle. I would not kill her. No, I would instead get to choke the life out of her precious human. I would drain her of her blood and then when I was done; I would rip her body to pieces and cover this dance studio in them.

Hearing the door open behind me I smiled as my dinner walked towards her death.

Alice's POV

Quietly I crawled above James, staring down at him as he unwittingly circled around Bella less than twenty-five feet below me. Some tracker I thought to myself.

Less than a minute after I hung up the phone I was hit with a vision of Bella walking quietly into the dance studio to save her mother. I was off the couch with a start hitting the door at full speed as Bella lunged under my arms, making a mad dash to the door.

Of course she had not crossed the room before I was on top of her pinning her to the ground. "Where you going Bella?" I asked holding her hands above her head.

"Let me go Alice!" she yelled tears streaming down her face. "He has my mom! I have to save her!"

"Bella! Bella calm down!" I yelled down at her. "We will go and save your mother, but there is no way you are going there alone."

"Alice if you come he will kill her, and then he will kill you."

"Bella, do you trust me?"

"Yes but you will not die for me."

"Silly human," I said getting off her and pulling her to her feet. Grabbing my keys off the table I motioned towards he door.

"No!" she said crossing her arms.

"Bella you're wasting time."

"You are not coming, he will hurt you." And at that she burst out into a stream of hysterical nonsensical words.

"Bella. Bella!" I yelled grabbing her face with my hands. "You are forgetting something."

"What am I forgetting Alice?" she sobbed out at me.

"One," I said raising a finger. "I can see the future. Two, I am a vampire Bella and yes I know I'm not exactly Emmett, but I can hold my own."

"And three?"

"You honestly didn't think I would let you go without me did you silly human? Now let's go."

And so now here I was perched above James, trying to decide the best way to attack him. I knew that James had decided to take this slowly, toying with Bella first. And I wanted him to take all the time he needed. I had called Edward on the ride over and I knew that he was still fifteen minutes away from being of any help to us.

Sniffing the air I could tell that James had lied about Bella's mom. She was nowhere near here, and James had not been anywhere near her.

How had I not seen this, I chastised myself angrily. I should have seen him decide to lay the trap like this. Shaking the thoughts from my head I crawled silently across the beams, positioning myself in the best angle I could.

I saw his decision a split second later and threw myself down onto him, digging my teeth into his neck and pumping my venom into his veins. Roaring loudly he flung his arms over his head, trying to grab a hold of me. Digging my fingers deep into his chest I released my mouth and screamed at Bella to run.

Opening my mouth wide again I threw my head back preparing to plunge my teeth into his neck again when I felt a hand grab me by the neck and tear me off of James. I opened my eyes as Victoria flung me towards a wall, her eyes glowing bright red in the moonlight. Flying backwards I saw James pick up Bella and throw her into a mirrored wall some fifty feet away. She smashed into it at an odd angle and instantly the smell of her blood flooded the room. James and Victoria snapped back towards me and both of them ran at me full speed.

Leaping into a defensive position I readied myself for the oncoming attack. Over their shoulders I saw Edward barreling through the doors straight for James. I crouched low and jumped up into the beams above us. James and Victoria both roared furiously, oblivious to Edward's presence. Both of them crouched and jumped at the same time, but only Victoria appeared in front of me on the beams. I looked down into the darkness to see Edward and James circling each other.

Snapping my attention back to Victoria I stood hands out, waiting for to make the first move.

Edward's POV

Above me I heard Alice give a loud growl as Victoria lunged for her. James copied her move lunging forwards for me and grabbing me by the arm, flinging me up and into the wall.

I felt the plaster crumble and break from the impact and pulled myself into a crouched position, waiting for the next strike. My mind was completely filled with voices and images that Alice was receiving above me. It took all my concentration to try and pick out James's next move.

Flying towards me his mouth open in a crazed roar I ducked as he smashed through the already weakened wall into the next room. Leaping away I turned on the spot at least fifteen feet away, trying to put enough distance between James and I to react. Looking quickly over my shoulder I saw Bella laying dazed, propped against the smashed mirror, as blood poured out of a cut on her leg and stomach, her eyes flickering between myself on the ground, and Alice above us.

Feeling the ground shake beneath me James ran out of the hole at full speed, again catching me off guard and pinning me to the ground beneath him.

He snapped viciously in my face, his venom spraying me on my neck and burning like fire. His eyes were crazed, the intense redness of them looking like Two Suns boaring in my own eyes madly.

Pushing him with all my might, I flung him away from me and jumped to my feet ready.

Above me Alice gave a pained scream and I looked up to see Victoria digging into her neck, jumping with all my strength I grabbed her foot pulling her back down with me. Swinging Victoria by the ankle I flung back up into the beams where Alice was waiting, recovered and ready to fight.

Retraining my eyes on James a split second too late I was thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and tossed through the hole he had made. I scrambled trying to make it through the hole back to him as he sank his teeth into Bella's wrist, pumping his venom in her veins. Changing my Bella before my very eyes.

Above him I saw Alice drop, tearing him off of Bella and ripping off his head in the biggest show of strength I had ever seen. Victoria gave an outraged shriek and plunged down onto Alice's shoulders grasping at her neck.

The strong hands of Emmett tore her off of Alice and flung her away, sending her flying through the glass windows into the night. Reaching down Emmett grabbed James's twitching body and flung it away from Bella to the middle of he room. The door burst open as Jasper ran into the room, carrying a can of gasoline towards the body of James.

Carlisle followed behind him and ran to Bella's side. Looking at the situation for a split second he pressed Alice's hands down hard on the wound on Bella's leg, while his own pulled a shard of glass from her stomach and pressed down there to.

"Edward! Edward!" He yelled towards me. "I need you now!"

My feet were suddenly carrying me towards them, releasing me from the place where I had been stuck when I saw James lower his mouth to Bella's wrist. Oh god her wrist.

"Carlisle he bit her," I yelled out loudly, feeling my body grow numb.

"I know," Edward said looking deep into my eyes. "You have to suck out the venom Edward."

"No!" I shrieked the monstrous notion flooding my mind with its poison.

"You have to Edward! It is her only hope."

"Why me?" I begged looking down at Bella as she gasped for life. "Why not you?"

"Because I have to see to her other wounds Edward!"

"Damnit Edward!" Alice shrieked her eyes black with fury. "You've got to do it and you've got to do it now!"

Looking down at Bella I swallowed the venom rising in my throat and latched onto her wrist, my teeth fitting seamlessly into the gash left by James's teeth. I began to suck hard, his venom burning my throat on the way down.

I felt my head lightening and I could almost feel my heart beating again as James's venom cleared her system and I suddenly found myself drinking the pure nectar that was Bella's blood.

This was amazing I said to myself, sucking harder. This is what I am supposed to be eating, not dirty wild animals.

I was only faintly aware of Carlisle's pleas for me to stop.

"You're killing Bella," a voice in my head said.

"Yes I am," I replied.

"Are you ok with that?"

"I have never been more ok with anything in my life."

Beneath me I could hear Bella's heart start to slow. I knew she would be dead soon, but I couldn't stop drinking, not when what I had so long yearned for was right on my lips.

Not hearing any conversation but the one in my own mind, I was suddenly surprised to feel my body flying backwards, a sharp painful sensation on my neck.

Landing with a slam I opened my eyes to see Alice perched on top of me, seething in anger, fresh blood on her lips. My blood…no Bella's blood, take from my body, which was filled with it.

"Oh god!" I choked rolling out from under her onto my hands and knees. On one side of me I could feel heat as Emmett and Jasper threw James's disfigured body onto the fire. Looking the other direction I saw Alice forming a barrier between Bella and myself.

Carlisle was leaned over her; giving her an injection of what I believe was morphine. Bella looked towards me, her eyes clouded over in confusion and pain, the drugs hit her system and she settled back into the floor.

Turning towards around at Carlisle's instruction, Alice scooped Bella up in her arms and ran towards the door. Emmett wrapped his arms around me and threw me over his shoulder in a fireman carry, and followed them out the door. Looking behind us I saw the flame's licking the beams as the heat from the fire began to shatter the mirrors.

Lowering my face in disgust and horror I let Emmett carry me off into the night behind the rest of my family and my Bella.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Ok major angst warning. Like major. I have been planning this chapter since I read the part in New Moon where Edward went all stupid white knight and ditched. Because I thought it was…really stupid that he left then. I mean what two months prior to that Bella had gotten tossed around like a rag doll, and then he himself had had to suck venom out of her. But no it's was Jasper getting a little bitey that changed his mind. Anyways here you go and please for the love of god don't kill me.

Disclaimer: I don't own this. Stephenie Meyers does though. Life sucks like that.

Alice's POV

I flicked an ant away from me in an irate matter, watching as it sailed a good fifty feet down the drive way, over the heads of my distant family. Each of them leant mutely against their respective cars, all lost in their own personal thoughts. They were waiting for Edward to return, and then my family would leave Forks, to go north away from Bella.

I would not be going with them.

Sighing I thought back to all the events of the last week.

After the fight with James we had stayed briefly in the hotel, waiting for nighttime to make the drive back up to Forks. Carlisle had briefly visited with Nicoló, thanking him for his help in the situation, and discussing Victoria who had fled the fight after Emmett had thrown her through the window into the night. Before we left town, Carlisle made a generous anonymous donation to the Repair The Phoenix City School of Dance; the donation more than covered all of their rebuilding expenses.

It was decided that with the injuries Bella had sustained, it would much easier to simply fly her back home. Thankfully this entire ordeal had lasted less than three days, leaving Charlie none the smarter to the situation. As I understood it, Esme had gone to him, Thursday evening, the day we left and had quickly spun the story of a shopping trip to Los Angeles. Charlie had of coarse been fine with it, and had let her go "on the trip" without a second thought about it. Due to Bella's injuries, Esme had called Charlie, furthering the story to include Bella falling down a flight of stairs at the hotel and crashing through a window.

Completely believable when it came to Bella.

Needless to say, we figured a quick plane ride would be much less stressful than a twenty-four hour car ride with Bella holding onto the "oh shit" handle as she tended to do when in a car driven by any member of my family. I of course volunteered to accompany her and was more than surprised when Edward declined. Discerning that everything was settled for the moment, he had turned and left the hotel room, disappearing into the night.

Shrugging my shoulders slightly towards the puzzled look on Carlisle's face, I walked into the bedroom and gently shook Bella's shoulder, awaking her easily.

"It's time to go love," I said slipping an arm under her softly and cradling her to my chest.

"You're more comfortable than Edward is," she murmured into the crook of my neck.

"Thanks," I said smiling as I pulled a twenty out of my back pocket and dropped it on the pillow for housekeeping.

"Don't mention it," she yawned. "Where is he anyways?"

"He's not flying back up with us. He wanted to drive home."

"Ah ok," she said yawning.

"Go back to sleep," I whispered softly, kissing her head.

"Ok, love you," she mumbled closing her eyes, asleep in a second.

Taking a moment to breath in her words I smiled to myself content. "Love you too," I whispered into her ear.

Walking back into the living room I quickly shifted me eyes from family member to family member. Emmett and Carlisle each looked quite confused by the situation, while Jasper and Rosalie shared a look of understanding. Esme's face was a mixture of care and worry, her mind no doubt battling itself on behalf of both Edward and I.

Finally Carlisle cleared his throat and we all swept out of the hotel room, our minds all lost in the moment.

The flight back up was uneventful. Carlisle had gotten us two first class pods, and we were the only ones up there thankfully. Bella slept the majority of the time, leant against my shoulder, shaking and muttering in her sleep. It was horrible to have to sit there the whole time, knowing that the usual dreams where being interrupted by nightmares of the events of the last three days.

When we arrived at the airport in Seattle, I carefully settled Bella into a wheelchair despite her weak indignant protests. Charlie would be picking us up, and knew it would not do well to have me carry Bella in my arms like she weighed little more than a pillow. I might be able to get away with that in front of strangers who simply assumed I was on steroids or something weird like that, but I'm sure Charlie would have the good sense to think something was up.

Thankfully I didn't recognize even a hint of mistrust in his voice as we drove back towards Forks, accepting my explanation that the clothing we bought was coming back in Esme and Rosalie's cars. That was Monday morning around 2a.m. Charlie dropped me off, refusing to let me out at the front of my driveway.

I waited till I heard him pull back onto the paved road before I booked it into the woods at frenzied pace. Stealthily racing along a familiar path, I successfully made fast work of a mountain lion, draining it quickly and quenching the thirst that had been gnawing at me for the last three days.

Relaxing finally, I turned and began running towards Bella's house. Crawling the tree outside Bella's room I saw her lying on her bed, as Charlie walked around her room gathering her night clothes and setting them on the edge of her bed. After Bella assured him she could dress herself, he leaned down and gave her a slightly awkward, but never the less warm hug and walked towards out her bedroom door. Groaning wearingly, Bella pulled herself up and limped towards the window, unlatching it and moving back as I and a freezing blast of cold air entered her room.

"So Bella, let's get you naked." I joked lightly pulling the window down behind me.

"Ha ha," she muttered glaring at me.

"Just kidding love," I said reaching down to help her shuck her jeans over the large bandage covering her legs. "I promise not to take advantage of you in this delicate state."

"I'm going to hold you to that," she said lightly her breath hitching as my cool hand grazed her calf.

Reaching towards the bed I grabbed her night pants and shook them out lightly. Kneeling in front of her I felt her hands on my shoulders as she stepped softly, putting each foot through its respective sleep pants leg. Standing up slowly, I inched her pants up gingerly. Purposefully grazing my fingers up along her legs to her waist.

When I looked up Bella's eyes were glossy looking and her face was bright red.

"Bella." I said leaning forwards and whispering softly into her ear.

"What?" She stuttered.

"Breath," I whispered heavily removing my hands from the burning skin at her waist.

Stepping back I laughed lightly as she took in a deep breath of air. Shaking her head from side to side and her eyes lost the heavy hooded look they had adopted. Blushing lightly she look at me crossing her arms.

"Alice."

"What?"

"Turn around." She said teasingly, rolling her eyes as she spun her finger around.

"Oh right," I said spinning around and putting my hands to my face.

After a second or ruffling she cleared her throat.

"Ok you can turn back around," she whispered pulling her nightshirt down over her head, sucking in a pained breath as the shirt caught on the stitches on her stomach.

I stared at the stop sadly, wanting desperately to walk over to her and kiss it softly, and erase the pain. I was so ashamed that I had even thought for a second walking into that dance studio was a good ideal. I have been accused before or relying to heavily on my visions and this proved it. Bella had been hurt almost fatally, and I had led her there.

"Not ever again," I said to myself softly.

"Stop dwelling on it Alice," Bella said reaching forwards and putting her hand on my cheek.

Surprised that she had knew what I was thinking in the first place I snapped my head away from her stomach to her eyes. "I wasn't dwelling on anything," I lied.

"Liar. You vampires are all the same, just because I can't hear what you are whispering under your breath, doesn't mean I can't see your lips moving. Hell I could probably hold my own as a deaf person after knowing all of you."

I laughed softly at this and made towards the window "Good night Bella."

"Wait? You're leaving," she asked slightly alarmed.

"Yah."

"Why?"

"Because it's 3a.m. and Charlie has decided you're going to school today silly human."

"Oh…I kind of wanted to talk to you…about some things." She mumbled.

"Bella, we can talk later. Right now it's sleepy time for the human."

"Ok but we will talk tomorrow?"

"Oh no, I'm sorry, forecast calls for sun until Tuesday."

"Blasted sun," she yawned crawling into bed.

"Blasted sun indeed," I mumbled crawling out her window into the dark night.

The rest of my family except for Edward returned around 3p.m. on Monday. After verifying that Charlie had taken so easily to the story, they all disappeared to hunt as I had. When Edward had not returned by ten, we began to be curious. Being vampires we really didn't worry, we just wondered where he was, when he had left an hour or so before us.

Concentrating my thoughts I tried to focus in on Edward. Driving at an uncharacteristically slow pace, he had only just crossed the border into Washington. I knew right away that he was struggling to make a decision about something, and having some experience with my ability I also knew that he was trying his hardest to not let me know what was going on.

The only flicker I was getting was the end of each of his decision. Bella, definitely human, was smiling happily; her scars all but disappeared, holding the hand of another man.

"What are you thinking Edward?" I groaned to myself.

"What's up?" Jasper asked putting his hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

"Edward…he's…he's trying to make a decision about something having to do with Bella. It's hard though, he keeps changing his mind and concentrating on small insignificant decisions, like changing lanes."

"How long until he gets here?"

"I would say in about an hour. I know he plans to talk to us when he does though."

As it turned out we only had to wait about thirty minutes before he turned into the drive. Stepping stiffly out of the car, he walked towards the door. His eyes intent, when they fell on me I drifted off into a vision. He had decided to leave. And not just by him. He had decided to leave and move away from Bella and take the rest of us with him, kicking and screaming he added deciding on me.

"NO!" I roared shaking the vision from my head. "It is not going to play out like that."

"I'm not going to fight about this," he demanded loudly, standing only centimeters away from me, venom spraying my cheeks lightly.

"What's going on?" Esme said stepping out he front door with Carlisle in tow.

"Edward wants to leave. He has decided we are all going to pick up and follow him immediately, all because he suffers from a bad case of melodramatic, tortured white knight disease." I said over my shoulder to them.

"Perhaps we should all go inside and talk this over," Carlisle said calmly.

"There's nothing to talk about," Edward said darkly, pushing past me and stalking through the open door.

Jasper put his arm around me and led me into the house, setting next to me defensively on the couch, as he attempted to fill the room with calmness.

Rose, Emmett, and Esme sat down on the other couch as Carlisle took up his spot as mediator in the middle of the living room.

"What's going on now?" Emmett asked grumpily.

"Edward," Carlisle started, "Has decided that now is the time to leave Forks and Bella. Edward would you like to talk?"

"Yes," Edward said standing up and rubbing his temple. "When we met Bella two months ago, it was decided and agreed upon by everyone that it would be in her best interest to be with me. Because I was looking out for her future more than Alice." He said darkly looking towards my hiss. "And it was made clear then that I intended to be in her life as long as it was healthy for her."

"Yes that is true," Carlisle mused.

"Well I have decided that it is no longer beneficial for Bella to remain involved with this family. I think the events of this last week more than speak for themselves."

At this point I could hold back my tongue no more and I jumped from my seat.

"You are being utterly idiotic Edward! The "events" of this last week have absolutely nothing to do with us. If it weren't for us Bella would have just been eaten by James to begin with."

"I have to agree with her Edward," Carlisle said slowly.

"No you don't understand. I could read James's thoughts. The only reason he became so completely obsessed with Bella, is because of our reaction. And the only reason he even crossed paths with her, is because we carelessly brought her with us out there when we knew there were nomads coming."

"Edward you are being stupid and you are making this much to simple, which is a change for you." I said my voice rising in anger.

"No Alice. I am taking this seriously. Which is something you seem quite incapable of doing. She almost died Alice!" He said, now screaming into my face.

"You almost killed her!" I screamed back pushing him away from me.

"At least I didn't lead her to her death! You put her in danger because you use your damn visions like a crutch!" He said rolling on the balls of his feet and pushing me back.

I snarled loudly at this and bristled my back, ready for a physical confrontation.

"You are thinking blindly," he spat out at me. "I don't have to search your mind to see that your future with her still ends with her changed?"

"And so what if it does?" I growled. "What if that is what Bella wants as well?"

"Bella doesn't know what she wants. She doesn't understand at all about what she would be giving up. And I'm disgusted that you out of all of us are so ready to end her human life!"

"I am not 'ready to end her life' as you put it Edward. I am just willing to accept the fact that Bella knows what she wants, and has the right to have it. And I am willing to give it her if it would make her happy!"

"Then why weren't you willing to give to her in that hotel room when you thought she just wanted to use it to spend eternity with me?" He hissed out at me.

I tottered for a second, before sputtering out a few meaningless sounds.. Recovering a few seconds later I shrunk back and breathed in deeply.

"You thought I didn't catch that didn't you?"

"Alice is that true?" Carlisle asked softly.

"Yes," I muttered out.

"Well it doesn't matter anyways," Edward snapped out. "This is not about Alice and this is not about me. This is about Bella and what is best for her."

"Edward you don't even know if this is best for her," I said testily. "You have seen it in my visions just as I have. If we leave now, how Bella takes it, how Bella survives afterwards, her will be completely up to her."

"Then that is how it will be. Shouldn't we at least give her a chance to regain some normality back to her life? Or are you too selfish to give her that chance?"

"You are twisting this around," I said, angry that his words were making the smallest train of sense in my head. "I know you think you are doing the right thing here, but this could end extremely badly."

"Anything has got to be better for her than this," he said pointing at his black eyes pointedly.

"Carlisle?" I said turning to him for his opinion.

He took his fingers away from where he had been resting them. "I think it would be beneficial for Bella to at least give her the chance to return her life to a degree of normality. While I'm not sure if this is the best way to go about it, Edward knows Bella better than I do. If this is what he wants, we will leave Bella's life."

Turning towards Edward I fixed a cold glare on his face. "You can run off Edward, you can feed Bella the damn line about not existing if you want. But I do not have to go with you."

"But," he started.

Holding off my hand I cut him off, "I will 'leave' Bella's life as you put it. But I'm not leaving Forks. I intend to stay here and watch her. And don't even bother objecting because you can see my decision just as clearly as I do now."

"Fine," he gritted through his teeth. "You can stay here and watch her as long as you want. But if you interfere Alice we will fight."

Glaring at him I turned to Carlisle.

"If this situation suits the both of you, you can stay here Alice. I feel I must admit that I think it wise to have someone close to Bella to begin with. Thought I doubt there will be any problems, I am still wary of Victoria."

________________________________________________________________________

And so it was worked out through the rest of the night, that Edward and my family would leave and I would stay behind in Forks. What I had said was truthful. I would not interfere with Bella's life, and I would give her the chance to try to live it out as normally as she could now.

You might wonder why I would do that, but my answer is not an easy one. I did want Bella to live out a human life, all the more so because I could not remember anything of mine. I wanted her to revel in her humanity. To fall in love again, to marry, to actually have children not just newborns, to grow old with someone. To have all the thousands of "human moments" that she, like all human take for advantage.

I'm not as melodramatic about my livelihood as Edward is. I don't believe we are damned and I do believe we have a soul. But I would still trade immortality for humanity any day.

So that's what brought me to where I am now. Watching Edward's car pull into the drive, he gave me a fierce look and remained stoically in his car. One by one my family came to say goodbye to me. Jasper held me tightly and kissed me softly on the cheek, promising to visit me after a time.

Carlisle hugged me softly as well, giving me a soft fatherly kiss on top of my head. "Be safe," he said getting into his car, and with that my family left.

Listening until I could no longer heard the roar of Emmett's jeep I turned towards the house and was suddenly on my hands and knees shaking with grief.

Sitting down cross-legged I stared at the large empty house in front of me. Feeling my vision cloud over I suddenly found myself limping through the woods in Bella's vision. Turning left and then right, she tripped on a rotted fallen branch and decided to stay there.

I was halfway there before I saw Charlie carefully picking her off the ground, wrapping her arms around his neck. Slowing to a walk I followed behind invisible to their eyes as they took Bella back to the house.

Quietly crawling up a tree near the wood line, I found a branch with an excellent vantage point of Bella's bedroom window. I watched as Charles left and stayed on that branch for the rest of the night. When I finally crawled down the next morning I had dug my nails so deep into the palms of my granite hands that they bled. Bella had lay there the entire night crying my name.

________________________________________________________________________

A/N: And now a plea from myself, because my fragile ego cannot take any more threats against my life. Calm down and take a breath. This is nowhere near done with, so please refrain from attacking me in your review. Just breath…calmly…I'm sending Jasper rays at you. See doesn't that feel better? I promise, stick with me and it will end in just an awesomely wonderful fluffy manner. I just want to do it right and not rush it. Because rushing it leads to bad writing, which leads to a chapter where I collapse under the pressure and just kill them all off…not cool huh?


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Herm not much to say, so boom baby here it is!

Disclaimer: "Do you have a flag?" Asks Stephenie Meyers. "I don't need a flag, I just wrote this." I reply. "Too bad. No flag no story. These are the rules I've just made up…and I'm backing them with this copyright lent to me by United States Government." 300 points if you get that reference.

Alice's POV

I watched for a change. I watched her, waiting for her to decide that today would be the day she got over the destruction my family had left.

And I watched.

I watched.

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

Finally in February Charlie made the decision for her, deciding that he would send her back to Renée.

The shock I could hear in Bella's voice made me feel so damn good because it was the first time I had heard any feeling in it besides depression and defeat since September.

Quickly an ideal flickered in her head. She would go spend some time with…with Jessica? Yah sure Jessica. That would get her father off her case. I knew that was the only reason she was doing it, but still it made me happy. I had been watching the person I loved, my Bella, literally wasting away in front of me for four months. Simply seeing her make decisions outside of her house would please me.

It felt like I had lived another lifetime in those four months. I was determined not to give in. It had been so hard at first, such a struggle to not rush into her room and scoop her up in my arms and kiss all of her tears away. But after a few weeks I realized that I was rooting for her. I wanted Bella to recover from this more than I had ever wanted anything ever.

I wanted her to have the normal life she deserved. In just the first few weeks we had been gone, a calm had settled over Forks. It no longer seemed the dangerous place it had before, and I began to see a little of what Edward had meant about Bella being in more danger with us around. It's like we were her own personal really horrible bad luck charms.

If only she could move on from this travesty. "Move on," I had thought to myself as I settled into my spit on top of the tree. "Yeah you're doing a great job of that yourself."

Bella's future was so faint; it might well have been blank. She made few decisions besides taking a shower and choking down some food occasionally.

You can imagine I'm sure that I almost fell out of the tree with shock the first time she decided to kill herself some three weeks after we had left. I was halfway to her house, when I realized that Bella was counting on that. Indeed she instantly decided against it and I saw her smile to herself at the end of the vision.

"I bet you saw that," she mumbled before turning back over and going to sleep.

I was startled and upset that she had even considered that, and I felt extremely betrayed that she had done it only so I would see it. After that it was as if she became hooked on the very ideal of me seeing that in my mind, over the next two months she brought me running to her house almost daily before taking the vision away, her face always so serene.

I couldn't tell what the hell she was thinking and I found myself wishing that I had Edward's ability and that it worked on her. Finally at the end of December she stopped flirting with the ideal, her face no longer looking happy but desperate for something afterwards.

Edward visited Forks two times, each time giving me a very wide berth. I knew he was only checking the situation to make sure I had not gone back on my word, so I paid him little attention. When I knew that he had decided the come a little closer within hearing range of my thoughts, I assaulted him with insults and visions of Bella's suicidal thoughts. It was enough to send him running away in horror.

Returning to the present I watched as Bella pulled herself into Jessica's car and waved meekly at her father. The evening passed in relative silence as Jessica and Bella kept their conversation superficial. I stayed back in the shadows, watching Bella, and almost crying out for joy when I saw a faint smile grace her face.

My joy was short lived though when Bella began to walk towards a group of rough looking characters standing out in front of a dive bar. My vision glazing over I finally saw what she was deciding.

In the vision Bella was walking towards them, caution thrown to the wind when my voice rang in her ears.

"Bella, what the hell are you doing?"

"You stopped talking to me."

"That's because I knew you weren't going to kill yourself."

"I just need to hear your voice."

My vision returned as I saw her saw begin to cross the street. For once Jessica was of use and pulled her back, chastising her for her carelessness. And with that they returned to Forks.

I went behind them slowly, my own thoughts wild and confused. I found it both disturbing and extremely sweet at the same time, that Bella had chosen my voice to be her guide when she had gone crazy.

Near broken with despair, I crawled up my tree to continue my vigil.

The next week Bella became involved with Jacob Black, after she hatched her bone-headed plan to bring my imaginary wrath to her brain by learning how to drive a motorcycle. She didn't know it, but my wrath was just as realistic sitting up in the trees and watching her race along the road with Jacob. Still I was glad that she was getting out albeit to do stupid stuff. But at least she was doing something.

And Jacob Black, though incredibly immature was just what the doctor ordered I thought at first at least. He was big, more than big enough to keep her protected. Finally I began to see Bella make decisions about life, and not just her grief.

Over the next few weeks I backed off a bit, finally believing that Bella might begin to live a normal life. But of course that would not happen. I was resting on my bed, about two weeks after Valentine's Day pondering how long I would stay here in Forks…forever of course…watching a vision of Bella driving to the Quileute Reserve when her future completely blanked out of on me. There was no haze or faintness to it either, Bella was just completely gone.

And then she flickered back. She was standing inside a bathroom. I think it was inside of Jacob Black's house, deciding to take some Tylenol; she fished them out of the cabinet, downed them and then opened the door. And she disappeared again. The only thing that kept me from running straight there to see if I could figure out what the hell was going on was a century old treaty.

So instead I went to her house and crawled up my tree, determined to figure out what the hell was happening. I smelt them coming from a mile away. It smelt horrible, like a dog that had waded through mud and human waste for a couple of hours. I instantly grew tense, a soft growl vibrating my throat, and I quickly cast my eyes towards the tree line, expecting a mangy werewolf to step out and bark at me. I had never seen nor smelt one, but I had heard enough about them from Carlisle to know what I was close to. The smell grew stronger over the next minute and I began to panic. When I saw Bella, followed by Jacob, turn the corner I started to make my way down my tree, ready to rush to their protection at a moments notice.

When Jacob opened the door of his car and stood up I nearly screamed bloody murder. He had grown to nearly six and a half feet tall, and the smell rolling off of him was the worst thing I had ever experienced.

Frozen dumbstruck in the tree, my jaw dropped as I realized what this meant.

We had left Bella, I had sacrificed my happiness so she could have a "normal" life, and she had gone out and shacked up as best friends with a goddamn werewolf.

The sound of his laughter easily reached me as he picked up Bella in one meaty arm and swung her around in a circle. A growl returning to my throat I began my decent again until I was met with the best sound I had heard in months. Bella was laughing. She was really laughing.

And the gigantic newborn puppy of a werewolf was making her laugh.

This could work. Jacob could be the savior Bella needed. Sighing heavily I crawled back up to my spot and settled back in to watch Bella, hoping that she would wake up from this disaster and move on in here life.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: So each chapter I have written has had it's own song. I listened to each of them on repeat while writing the chapter. When I'm done with this I plan to release a soundtrack list probably. But I think I'll tell you that for this chapter I listened to "How To Save A Life by The Fray on repeat, and I suggest you do to if you are comfortable listening to music while you read.

Disclaimer: All Stephenie Meyers not my mine.

Alice's POV

While Jacob's now constant presence in Bella's life made me happy for the sake of her happiness, it became a constant thorn in my side that I could not see anything when Bella was with him.

I feared at any second he could lose control and hurt her. I knew he would not mean it, but Carlisle had explained to me that newborn werewolves were not all that different from newborn vampires.

So I now kept a constant vigilance over Bella when she was with Jacob. The only time I was less than a mile from her, was when she crossed the boundary into the Reserve. Now that I knew the werewolves had returned I did not want to take any chances and made sure to never cross the line, fearing not only I would cause a war, but that I also might alert Bella to my presence.

I was very frustrated when I realized that Bella was not as all healed up has I hoped and thought she was. In fact her nightmares at night seemed become more severe, and she started taking greater risks to induce the hallucination of my voice.

I had stood back the entire time, trusting Jacob to protect her. There had only been one close call a few weeks back. Jacob and Bella had been riding on the back roads on Forks when one of Jacob's pack mates had busted out of the undergrowth prancing in a panicked manner. I had watched lazily from the top of tree as Jacob followed him into the woods and transformed. Less than a minute later he bounded back out in only his shorts and told Bella that they had picked up the trail of a strange vampire.

Jacob loaded the bikes into the back of Bella's truck and told her to go back to the Reservation and wait for him there, and with that he had disappeared. Bella had crawled back in to the truck and I could hear her frustrated sighs from atop my tree. At that moment another idiot intent of flirting with death passed her on a motorcycle, raising his hand in greeting he had expertly popped his front wheel into the air and ridden for a few seconds on only his back before setting it back down and speeding off.

Seeing her decision a second after it was made, I groaned loudly and began jumping from tree to tree towards Bella. I crouched high in the tree directly next to her truck and watched as she slowly crawled out, looking around and walking into the woods, no doubt to search for any sign of Jacob. I took my chance and jumped out of the tree dropping onto the other side of her truck. Peeking underneath I saw her standing with her back still turned from me some fifteen feet. Reaching up quick as lightening I jabbed my fingers into the tires of her bike, and then Jacob's for good measure.

Crouching back down I crawled underneath her truck and held my breath, stilling my body to stone. I almost busted out laughing when Bella reached into the truck and realized that the back wheels of both bikes had been punctured. Cussing loudly she had slammed up her tailgate, jumped in her truck, and sped off towards the Reserve.

I know now that I was too blinded by my desperate hope to realize that the spiral Bella's life had taken was getting close to ending. I didn't want to face the fact that she was taking more and more risks to feel me, to hear me. But it all became a horrible reality as I sat in that tree a week after the near wheelie incident and felt my world come crashing down around my head.

I was out of the tree and running towards the Reserve as fast as my feet would carry me.

How had I been so stupid? How in the hell had I let Edward make this sound like a good idea? It all suddenly became so clear. This entire thing had not been about Bella's safety. He didn't demand our family leave Bella so she could live a normal life. He left Bella because he knew she had thrown his plans to the floor and had decided to be with me. And I had sat by and been duped into it.

I felt the wind whipping past my face as I barreled over the barrier line towards La Push. A mile onto the reservation I heard a howl somewhere behind me, and smelt at least two werewolves in pursuit. Ceasing my breathing to block out their over-powering scent, I pressed harder towards the beach.

I had thought little of it when Bella decided to get out of the truck and walk up the cliff side. It wasn't till she was stepping off the cliff in my mind that I realized the implications of the visions I was seeing.

Bella, my Bella was jumping off a cliff to her death. I could see things in my vision she was oblivious to in her current state of mind. She looked down at the water thinking nothing of it. I on the other hand saw the water below her for what it was. The mouth of a monster, waiting for Bella to drop down into it's powerful jaws and sweep her out to sea and her death.

Breaking out onto the beach with the two wolfs close behind, nipping at my heals, I saw Jacob running towards me at full speed in wolf form. Painfully oblivious to what was going on behind him. Before he cut off my view I saw Bella step over the side of the cliff and begin her decent towards the icy water.

"BELLA!!!" I screeched at the top of my lungs. Jacob scrambled to a halt on all fours, obviously confused by my outburst. Planting my hands on his shoulders, I felt him push down deep into the sand below his paws. Somersaulting over him, I landed some twenty feet away from him at the water's edge.

Plunging in I began to swim desperately towards the dark water below the cliff face. As my eyes rose above the water I saw Bella fighting to stay afloat some fifty feet away from me. Behind me I heard the three wolves clumsily enter into the water, swimming as hard and fast as their massive bodies would allow them.

As my right arm rose up to complete it's stroke, I saw another form swimming towards Bella, coming from the right. I nearly screamed in panic when I realized that by some cruel twist of fate, Victoria had materialized out of fucking nowhere and was swimming towards Bella as well, her controlled strokes matching mine.

"Jacob!" I yelled feeling a mouthful of the salty water slide down my throat.

A dull growl some five feet behind me was my answer.

"To the right! Victoria!" I screamed pressing my body harder. I had no clue if he knew whom I was talking about but I knew that he understood it was a major problem.

Jacob roared above the water and I heard him and his pack mates shift directions and start towards her.

The roar finally penetrating her vengeful concentration, Victoria stilled in the water and focused towards where the sound had come from. Her eyes grew wild with fear as she saw the bodies of three massive werewolves swimming towards her like three steam liners.

Turning away from them her eyes met mine as I completed another right stroke towards Bella, feeling my arms finally wrap around her lithe body. Sending me a deep glare she screamed in defeat and began to retreat from the tree oncoming wolves.

Turning my attention away from them, I slipped an arm under Bella between her breasts, where the faint beat of her heart spurred me own. Flying across the water I thanked what every deity was on guard as a strong wave sent us hurdling towards the beach.

Pulling Bella on to the beach I sucked in a breath full of oxygen and bent over her, pressing my cold lips to her own cold lips, I pushed the oxygen out of my lungs and into hers. Keeping my face centimeters from hers I pushed down lightly on her chest and repeated the breathing action.

Finally she coughed once and then twice before her eyes fluttered open, focusing on mine for a second, before she passed back out. I could see her lips start to return to their normal color as her body was wracked with uncontrollable shivers.

Standing up I picked her up, cradling her tightly to my chest, and began to run towards my house. Halfway there I began to feel sick as the water I had accidentally swallowed hit my withered useless stomach. Pain shot through me and I very nearly doubled over from it. Grinding my teeth I pushed forwards, bursting through the trees and onto my driveway.

Kicking the door clear off its hinges I rushed through the foyer, stopping only to kick on the never used heater. Holding her close to my chest I flew up the steps to my bedroom. Lying her down on the edge of the bed, I began to pull her clothing off of her, not bothering to unzip or unbutton anything.

I knew that Bella's temperature had began to return to normal, but I also knew that warming her to quickly might send her into shock. Slowly I lifted her back up and lay her down properly in the middle of my bed. Pulling the covers over her I tucked them tightly around her shoulders.

And finally I relaxed for a second before I was overcome with the need to retch. Falling off of my bed on all fours I felt the sting of the salt water forcing its way out of my throat indignantly onto my floor. I sat like that for a few seconds, breathing hard, and feeling myself start to calm down.

Above me on the bed I could feel that Bella had stopped shivering and had in fact stiffened. Slowly raising my head I looked up at her and saw her eyes rest on me.

"Alice?" she choked out painfully.

"It's me," I said crawling onto the bed and putting my hand on her shoulder hesitantly.

"Alice?" she asked again, unwilling to believe what she saw.

"I'm here love, I'm really here," I said resting my hand and her cheek.

Her eyes got wide with the contact and she flung herself towards me, pulling out from under the covers and wrapping her arms around me. Her body started shaking again as she was wracked with uncontrollable sobs. "Oh god don't leave!" she screamed painfully into my side.

"I'm not," I said wrapping my arms around her and trying unsuccessfully to pry her off of me.

"Please! Don't leave!" she screamed again through her tears.

Finally I managed to pull her arms from around me and pushed her down on the pillow, settling down next to her above the blankets. Bella wrapped her arm and leg around me possessively and continued to beg into the crook of my neck not to leave.

"Bella," I said capturing her chin in my hand.

Sucking in loudly she trained her heavy chocolate brown eyes on mine.

"I'm not leaving," I said slowly but strongly. "I am never leaving you again my love, no one will ever be able to take you away from me."

And with those words Bella pressed her lips against mine, hard and desperate to cover each centimeter of my lips with hers. Wrapping my arms around her I ran my fingers through her still soaked hair. Mewing into her throat she pulled herself forwards on top of me, her naked body pressed against mine. Pushing her away softly I looked deep into her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere Bella," I said pushing her down and tucking the blanket back around her. "Go to sleep, I will be here when you wake up and we will talk."

"Ok," she murmured, her breath finally returning to normal and her eyelids getting heavy, "I'm very mad at you, she yawned out."

"I know," I whispered softly as I kissed her forehead smiling. Finally Bella's breathing deepened and she fell asleep in my arms, exhausted.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: LOL Not much to say here. I have decided that this story will be another 15 or so chapters long.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything having to do with Twilight. Stephenie Meyers has that privilege.

Bella's POV

A dream, I thought pitifully too myself. Of course it was a dream. I'm lying in my bed, and when I open my eyes I will know that for sure. But I couldn't. I didn't have the heart too. Last nights dream had been so vivid my throat hurt from the cold seawater.

Stretching my legs, I could even feel the soreness in them. Lying still for a second I tried my hardest to remember everything. In the silence I could hear Alice's voice even now. I could also hear Jacob's voice. That was strange. I had never hallucinated his voice.

Suddenly realization hit me like a ton of bricks and I snapped my eyes open as I sat up swiftly. I was in Alice's bedroom, lying on her bed…naked. Ok I thought softly to myself. Either this is…an extremely upsetting hallucination symbolizing the final break in my sanity…or that was not a dream.

Looking over the edge of the bed I saw a pile of my clothing next to a slightly dark spot on the floor next to it. Alice had thrown up…that's right because she had saved me…I had fallen and she had come. Jacob had been there too…Rubbing my temple I grew tense when I heard the voice of Alice and Jacob growing louder, till I was sure that they were on the other side of the door.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I wrapped the blanket around me and stepped very slowly towards the door to listen.

"Look bloodsucker, it's not that I'm not grateful that you were there to save Bella, but I think its very fucking important to point out that you're the reason she may or may not have been trying to commit suicide!" Jacob growled out.

I heard Alice give a sigh, "You think I don't know that? I feel horrible. I made a very stupid decision by listening to my brother. And I have been paying for it dearly."

"From what I've gathered you made a very stupid mistake by not listening to him the first place!"

"And what does that supposed to mean?"

"It means that all this time I thought your leach of a brother was the problem, when he was actually the one looking out for Bella to begin with. You've been wanting to change her since the moment you saw her!"

"Yes I have! But as I have already explained, I did the right thing at the time. When the decision was made that my brother would be the one to court her, I stood back and watched the person I love be with the wrong guy."

"And what do you think now?"

"I think the decision is up to Bella."

"No…no I refuse to accept that. Bella doesn't know what she wants, and I am going to take a page out of you brother's book and not let her even get the chance to make that decision. I am going into that room and taking her and you are never going to see her again parasite!"

As their argument had gotten more and more heated, I had started to seethe in anger. Now as Jacob declared my future for me, I felt something snap inside of me. All the repressed rage and anger that had been building up inside of me threatened to break the surface like a volcano on the brink or eruption. A sound that I did not think myself capable of making broke though my lips and my blood boiled with anger as I tore the door open and stepped out into the hall way.

Jacob began to greet me, but seeing the look on my face he shrunk back in surprised fear. Alice looked at me cautiously, her golden eyes took in my murderous glare and she too stepped away slightly.

"I HAVE HAD IT WITH THIS!" I roared fixing a pointed finger at them and stepping forwards. "I swear to god that if another person, vampire, or werewolf takes it upon themselves to make my decision I will take their fucking heads off. And I am not kidding," I screamed.

Fixing my gaze on Jacob I stepped forwards again, pushing him into an awkward backwards-kneeling position till I was eye level with him. "You will not, and do not have the authority to interfere with any decision I make pertaining to my own goddamn humanity Jacob Black. If I decide I want to become a vampire, I will become a vampire. If I decide I want to become a Scientologist, I will become a Scientologist. IF I FUCKING DECIDE THAT I WANT TO BECOME THE GODDAMN QUEEN OF ENGLAND! I WILL BECOME THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND! Do you understand me? Or do I need to scream louder until you realize that I am a sentient being and I will make my own decisions?!"

Jacob stared at me quivering with fear and gulped slightly, his knees beginning to shake underneath his crooked posture. Raising an eyebrow in question I growled under my breath in his face. "I understand…I just…"he started.

"No Jacob, I did not ask for your opinion on the matter. Your approval to my decisions are neither required nor desired. I just want to you to repeat after me, that you will stand down and let me make my own decision and you will not interfere. Can you do that for me, or shall I call the vet and set up the appointment for your castration?"

His breath hitched and his lips quivered under my steely gaze. "I promise," he started shakily, "that I will not try to interfere with any decision you make."

"And it's a damn good thing you do," I said finally backing away from him and letting him return to a standing position. "Now will you do me a favor?" I asked allowing my voice to soften a bit.

"Anything," he nodded.

"Will you please go to the Reservation, and explain the situation to them."

"Of course," he mumbled, giving me an awkward hug before shooting what looked like a sympathetic glance towards Alice and bounding down the stairs.

Alice and I stood silent for close to a minute. I kept my eyes trained on the spot where Jacob had just stood, not trusting myself to look at Alice. I knew that if I looked into her eyes at that moment, all my righteous anger would evaporate and I would probably jump into her arms right then.

"Bella I…" she began, stopping when I shot my hand up towards her. Shaking my head I stood for another few seconds as I rearranged my thought. Finally turning towards her I sighed as she stared back at me, her eyes on the verge of dropping tears that would never come. Her body shook and she fidgeted at her side.

Sighing loudly I pressed my fingers to my temples. "Alice, I have been trying to find the words to express the anger I am feeling, and I'm finding it vary hard."

"Would you like to hit me?" she asked lightly.

"And break my hand?" I snorted.

"I could hit myself?"

"As tempting as that sounds, I would rather not resort to physical violence just this moment."

"That's somewhat relieving," she whispered.

The realization that I was here joking with Alice, after all I had experienced in the last few months hit me and I snapped my eyes towards her sharply. "Do you have any ideal how much you hurt me?" I half yelled at her, surprising her slightly as she stepped back a bit.

"What were you thinking Alice? I expected this from Edward but not you! You of all fucking people should understand that a person's decision is quite their fucking own. Did you think that I really was just "going to get over" you. Did you think I was going to meet some nice human boy and settle down?! If you had wanted me to have a text book example of a normal life, the both of you would have disappeared directly after we met!"

As I yelled on I had slowly been stepping towards Alice until she was now flat up against the wall, her lips quivering at my verbal assault. Seeing the fear in her eye's I took a deep breath and put own shaking hand on her shaking cheek.

"Don't you get it? This is as normal as my life is going to get, and more importantly this right here," I said motioning with my eyes between myself and her, "Is was what I want. I would rather spend an eternity with you, then a thousand normal lives. I love you Alice Cullen."

"Oh god," she whispered, her voice choke with emotion. "I love you too. So much."

And with that I leant forwards desperately, attacking her lips with my own. Pushing forcefully into her mouth I ran my tongue across her sensitive teeth. I felt a growl from deep down in Alice's stomach rise up between us where my body was pressed up hard against her. It caught in her throat and I could feel it in my own as a faint vibration.

Moaning loudly at sensation I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her even tighter. Pushing my hands under her shirt I wracked my fingers down her perfect back as hard as I could. That finally seemed to release the animal inside of Alice, because seconds later I could feel her hands all over me, grabbing my ass she lifted me into the air pulling my legs around her.

Turning around she slammed me into the wall and leant into my neck and began sucking hard at my neck, licking and biting the tender flesh there. Seeing her eyes turn black I moaned loudly into her ear and bit the lobe. Pushing my fingers through her short spiky hair I grabbed it into my hands and pulled her head back until I was staring deep into her eyes.

"Alice," I moaned softly tightening my fingers in her hair.

"Yes my love," she growled.

"I want you."

"Are you sure?" she asked, tightening her grasp on my thighs.

"Yes," I breathed deeply into her ear. "I want you to be my first."

"Oh god," she moaned.

"Do you need to do anything first?" I asked gazing deeply into her black eyes.

"I need to feed first," she said hoarsely.

"Then go," I mewed into her mouth, pressing my lips tightly against hers.

"I won't be long," she promised setting me down.

"I'm timing you," I said stepping away form her lingeringly.

And without a seconds more though she reached over my shoulder and undid the window latch, fixing me again with her dark eyes she slipped through the window

Running a hand through my hair, I turned and walked back into her room and lay on her bed to wait to for my Alice.

A/N: FYI the next chapter will be extremely graphic, so if you're not into pure smut I would suggest just kind skipping over it. Hey I have given fair warning.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Right so here it is. Major MA warning for this one. I'm gonna go take a cold shower now. I feel it prudent to mention hi yah any lesbians reading this living in San Antonio TX. Hi I'm Jojo, I enjoy long walks on the beach, and backing up my writing with action. LOL Just a suggestion. So enjoy people.

Disclaimer: Ok yah so Stephenie Meyers owns all the characters in this story, but she lets me play with them. Though I'm pretty sure she didn't have this in mind for them when she was like here Jojo have them home by ten.

Alice's POV

Walking swiftly but quietly up the stairs to my bedroom, I stopped outside of it and pressed my ear against it. I'm not sure why. I know why. I was listening for her heartbeat. Or the sound of her breathing. I was listening for the sound of my own personal savior. To make sure that I had not dreamed her up. It seemed very reasonable that I had indeed been sleeping all this time, and that I would wake up human and alone. Bella felt like the reward at the very end of a long dream, and I was terrified the rug would be pulled out from under me at that second.

But no, my Bella was just on the other side of that door. An angel made especially for me for all eternity.

Slowly swinging open the door, I stepped softly into the room. Bella lay in the middle of my bed, the blanket still wrapped against her. Her chest rose slowly and I knew that she was in a light sleep.

"Bella," I whispered slipping into the bed besides her and running an arm across her stomach pushing the blanket away and exposing the beauty that was Bella. I had seen her naked no less than twenty fours ago when I had undressed her, but my mind had been so preoccupied with keeping her alive I had not been able to appreciate it. Running my eyes down her body I purred in anticipation.

"Hmm," she half moaned turning her face towards me and smiling softly, her eyes opening to small slits.

"Did you fall asleep?" I asked planting a soft kiss on her jaw line while I ran my fingers up her arm slowly.

"Mmhmm," she answered tilting her head up and allowing me access to her throat, which I pressed a soft kiss against.

Propping myself up I sat one hand on the other side of her head and stared down into her face. Her hand trailed softly up my arm and rested on my shoulder lightly. Leaning down I kissed her tenderly on her forehead and began moving down her left cheek until my lips met at the corner of hers. Moving to the other side I repeated the action, this time trailing my cool fingers down the right side of her face.

Moving her hand to the back of my neck, Bella pulled me softly towards her and our lips met delicately. This light kiss was the best kiss we had ever and would ever have, I knew that, and I wanted it to be perfect. It spoke volumes of our feelings together and I knew if my heart could beat it would have broken through my ribs.

Bella purred softly up into my lips and moved her free hand to my side, pulling me softly towards her until our bodies were pressed tight against each other. Stroking her hand tenderly down my side, she caught it under my thigh, wordlessly asking me to bring a leg over her.

Lifting it slightly over her body I rested it tightly against her waist. Bella's hands ran up my back and I licked her lips softly, asking for permission to explore her soft mouth. Bella answered by moaning into my kiss and nodding slightly. Pushing my tongue sensually into her mouth, I ran it lightly over her tongue. Bella mewed sensitively from the touch and raked her fingers through my hair.

Pushing down against her at my waist I was rewarded with a small gasp, taking advantage of it I pressed my tongue deeper into her warm mouth, running it deeply along her teeth I felt her hands pull at my hair. Pulling my mouth away from hers I stared down into her eyes, hooded and darkened with lust.

"I love you," I whispered tenderly, saying the words slowly and trying to put as much emotion behind them that I felt.

"Show me," she said pulling my head back down and recapturing my mouth. This time she was the aggressor, running her tongue hungrily against my very sensitive teeth. I growled passionately with pleasure and was rewarded by Bella wrapping a leg over mine, running her calf slowly against mine.

Releasing my mouth, she placed a feather-light kiss on the sensitive skin under my jaw. Putting her hands on my cheeks she tilted my head back and began to suck and nip at my neck, pulling the skin between her teeth and biting down before running her tongue across it.

Suddenly it felt as if fire was spreading throughout my cold body, breathing warmth into my long since cooled limbs. Pulling away from her I shifted down slightly, keeping my eyes locked on hers; needing to make her feel the same way she had just made me feel.

Running a finger lightly over one of her small pert nipples I was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath, and I could feel her heart quicken deep in her chest below my touch. Leaning down I ran my cool closed lips of her right nipple. Bella moaned my name loudly and reached her hands behind her head, bracing them against the headboard. Feeling her urgency I opened my mouth and sucked her nipple into it. Bella's eyes clammed shot and her breathing became erratic.

"Breath," I purred out softly before taking her nipple between my teeth and pinching it slightly between them. Bella let out a load moan and started taking in deep breaths through her nose.

While I sucked and nipped at her right nipple, I place my hand palm down onto her left and let it drag softly against it. Her skin was scorching hot beneath me and her entire body was shaking from the sensations I was giving her.

Releasing her nipple from my mouth I stuck my finger in my mouth until it was wet, then I took it and rubbed it in small circles around her left nipple while I leant down and licked her right one softly. Kissing down the side of her breasts, I blew softly against both of her damn nipples.

"Oh god," she groaned straining her head back and pulling the pillowcase between her clenched fingers. Moving back to the middle of her breasts I kissed the area between them and started to move slowly down her chests. As I kissed and nipped at every inch of skin on her abdomen, Bella started saying my name over and over again, throwing in a couple of moans and oh gods, till the unconscious stream of sound breaking through her lips was completely incoherent.

I moved down her body till my kisses reached the very core of her being, blowing softly on it, I was answered with a tortured sounding groan from Bella's lips. Snapping her head up she screwed her eyes open and looked deep into my own. The look in them was flooded with lust, desperation, and need. Never breaking eye contact with her, I lowered my head slowly and pressed the tip of my cold tongue against her exposed clit.

"Oh god Alice," she shrieked throwing her head back into the pillow and throwing one hand to my head, which she ran through my hair before tightening her fist around the back of my head.

Sucking in a deep breath I ran my tongue down her wet slit while I exhaled softly into her core. Bella's fingers tightened in my hair and her body shook violently against me.

"I love you!" she moaned loudly and those three words let loose the animal inside me. I plunged my tongue deeply inside of her before moving it towards her clit. Sucking it into my mouth I began no nip at the sensitive nub ferociously. Drawing it between my teeth I began flicking my tongue swiftly against it, moving my head with the violent uncontrolled bucking of Bella's hips.

The sound of Bella screaming out my name with such lust and emotion was too much for me, and I felt my muscles tighten and clench at my center as I my body was wracked with a powerful orgasm. Pushing one hand tight under her ass I pushed my mouth still tighter against her. Running my other hand up I began to tweak and pull at her nipples.

I could feel the muscles in her thighs begin to clench and tighten as she neared orgasm herself. Pulling myself swiftly up her body, lying on her with all my weight, I ran my hand between her legs and entered her, breaking through her virginity with two fingers. Bella's eyes flew open with shock, meeting mine and she pushed her forehead against mine and crossed her arms tightly against my back, digging her nails deep into the skin on my shoulders. She sucked in a small pained breath and shook violently underneath me, and I growled deeply as I smelt the mix of her passion and a small hint of blood in the air. I knew that I was the only one in the world who would ever make her feel what this moment was like and I reveled in that knowledge like the first man who discovered fire had. I was the master and maker of the world around me.

Putting my free hand beside her head, I raised my body up and looked deep into her eyes as I began pushing my fingers in and out of her tight center. Pulling out and pushing back in I set up a fast but gentle motion. Her walls tightened and contracted against my fingers and I felt her hook a leg over my back, pulling me deeper into her.

It was as if the motion that I had set between us was the only thing in the world and her body moved and jerked in rhythm with mine. Pushing another finger into her I was answered with a deep primal growl. Curling my fingers up I pressed the palm of my hand hard against her clit while I pushed deep inside of her on her g-spot.

Bella's eyes slammed shut and I felt her nails dig sharply into my back as she fell over the brink and began slamming against my hand. Keeping my eyes trained to her face I felt another orgasm rip through me at the same time all the muscles in Bella's body simultaneously tightened and then released in an extremely powerful orgasm. Bella's eyes opened and they were black as night, looking deep into my eyes, her body slammed against mine and she screamed my name loudly to the heaven's and anyone else within five miles.

Not stopping I continued to push deeper into her and was rewarded as two more orgasms wracked through her body, soaking my hand in her burning hot release. Finally I slowed my stroking as her body began to shake softly beneath my own in exhaustion. Pulling my fingers away from her slowly I lowered to her side and pulled her into my arms. Bella breathed deeply into the crook of my neck, repeating my name over and over again.

"I love you so much," she said shakily, her voice sounding near tears. Pulling her chin towards me I kissed her deeply on the lips.

"I love you too."

"Please," she begged, don't ever leave me Alice, I feel as if I would die if you did.

"Of course not," I chastised her softly, putting my hands to her cheeks I looked deeply into her eyes. "I will never leave you again my Bella. Wild werewolves couldn't drag me away."

Bella giggled softly as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Your Bella?"

"Yes," I said kissing the tear off her cheek, tasting the saltiness of it on my lips. "You are my Bella, and I am your Alice for ever."

"Oh god," she said shakily pressing her lips against mine. Running my hand down her spine I felt her shudder beneath me.

Pulling my lips away from hers I looked deep into her eyes and smiled as the fought back an exhausted yawn. "Go to sleep Bella."

"Are you sure?" she asked softy putting a hand on my shoulder. "What about you?"

"Love we have all eternity ahead of us to lay here and do this."

"All eternity," she murmured more to herself.

"All eternity," I repeated wrapping my arms around her and pulling her head into the crook of my neck where she quickly felt into a peaceful sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Eh what the hell I though? Here's another chapter that earns the MA rating. All because I love you so much. And I haven't mentioned it in a while but this is completely un-beta'd so I'm desperately sorry for any gross spelling/grammatical errors.

Disclaimer: Oh yah, that blush and weak feeling in your knees…I own that. But Stephenie Meyer's owns the characters in this story not me.

Bella's POV

A soft smile crept across my lips as I felt Alice's cool fingers stroke across one of my nipples, calling me out of my slumber instantly.

"Wake up sleepy human," she whispered into my ear, taking the lobe into her mouth and nipping at it softly.

"Mmm," I moaned, stretching my arms above my head and trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. Fluttering open my eyes I saw Alice propped up on one arm, watching me contently. "Silly vampire," I murmured tucking a stray spiky black lock of hair behind her ear. "How long have you been dying to wake me up?"

Alice smirked and ran her fingers strikingly along my abdomen. "Hmm…I think right about the time you closed your eyes love."

Blushing at the pet name I rolled onto my side and propped my own head up with my arm. Setting my hand softly on her waist I splayed my fingers across her cold skin at the hem of her shirt. Alice smiled at me crookedly and her eyes lit up with glee. "What are you smiling about like that?" I asked unable to contain my own smile.

"You talk an awful lot in your sleep."

"Oh god," I said pushing my face into the crook of her neck, blushing furiously.

"Awe, its so adorable!" she laughed into my ear.

"I'll show you adorable," I growled pushing her down and swinging a leg over her. She smiled up at me in mock surprise and stuck out her bottom lip.

"Oh your such a ferocious kitty!"

Doing my best to impersonate her roar I swiftly leant down catching her bottom lip in between my teeth. I tugged softly on the cool lip with my teeth and was rewarded with a throaty purr. Positioning my legs between her own I pressed hard against her with my thigh. She responded by loudly moaning with surprise into my mouth.

Releasing her lip I kissed it softly and pulled my head back to look into her lust darkened eyes. "Do you like that," I whispered huskily, pressing against her again.

"Mmhmm," she answered nodding her head quickly. Encouraged by her response I pulled my body back till I was kneeling over her. Reaching down I tugged hesitantly at the hem of her shirt. Again she nodded and leant up to allow me to pull it over her head. I sucked in a deep breath when it went past her perfect chest and I saw Alice perfect breast. I was shocked at the beauty before me and knelt there in a state of awe for a few seconds, before Alice chuckled and pulled on of my hands to her breast.

The feel of her soft skin snapped me out of my reverie and I pressed her back down against the bed using the hand on her chest. Leaning my head down I took one of her tight nipples into my mouth and pulled it between my teeth.

"Harder," I heard her beg softly.

I could feel my eyes roll back into my head in pleasure to hear her sweet whisper, begging for me, knowing that I was making her feel like that. Biting down harder on her nipple she threw her head back and whimpered my name out.

Running my hands down her side I hit her jeans and growled in displeasure. They were evil. Releasing her nipple from my mouth resulted in another whimper. Looking up she met eyes with me questioningly. I reached between us and unzipped her pants; keeping my eyes fixed to hers I crawled backwards along the bed, pulling her lace panties off with the offensive jeans. I flung the offending jeans over my back and looked down finally at my Alice, completely exposed for me and only me.

A low grumble started in my chest and I looked into Alice's eyes when I heard her give a soft needing whimper. When our eyes met, hers flew open and darkened to black.

"Oh god Bella," she said reaching forwards and pulling me against her body, slamming us together at the place we were the most desperate. I pushed one hand down her side and locked it under her ass, pulling her even tighter against my warmth. My other hand I wrapped under beneath her arm and wrested it under her head, twisting her short black hair in my fingers. Alice moan loudly below me and wrapped one hand around my shoulder, the other she brought to my neck and pulled me down into a deep long kiss.

Not able to hold back anymore I began rocking instinctually into her center, pulling my hips back slightly before pressing down harder against her. Has the rhythm became more desperate with our mutual need I tore my lips away from her and locked my eyes onto hers. Reveling in the feelings dancing below the surface of her ever-changing eyes.

I started breathing harder as she began saying my name over and over again under my breath. On my back I felt her nails dig into my back roughly and felt myself tip over the cliff into an uncontrollable orgasm. My hips bucked wildly into hers I gritted my teeth in pleasure.

"Your nails," I groaned out.

Hey eyes went wild beneath me and I felt her body give a skip nearly breaking the rhythm between us. Pressing down harder I pulled her body along with mine. "I'm sorry," she moaned releasing the orgasmic clutch on my back.

"No, harder!" I growled pressing down against her, quickening the pace.

"I might draw blood," she replied matching her rhythm back to mine and bucking her hips up.

"Can you handle that?" I begged feeling myself near the brink or release again.

She growled gutturally and raked her sharp nails across my back in answer. "Oh god!" I yelped digging my teeth into her shoulder and feeling my body stiffen as I felt the sweet feeling of small rivulets of blood meet the cold air and my body was wracked with another orgasm.

"Oh god, of fuck, oh god," Alice started sputtering beneath me. "Oh fuck BELLA!" She screamed wrapping her entire body around mine and slamming up into me in a deep orgasm.

Pressing my lips against her forehead I kissed her softly all over her face as her body shivered and shook beneath mine. I felt her body begin to relax against mine and started to push softly against her again.

"Oh god yes please," she moaned into my shoulder.

More than happy to oblige I began moving against her again, oblivious to anything besides making Alice feel like that again.

You can imagine my horror when I heard someone clear his throat loudly behind us. Shrieking in surprise I ripped the fitted sheet from it place and pulled it over Alice's naked body and mine. Rolling with all my strength and pulling Alice with me, we hit the floor in a tumble of flailing limbs and growls.

Alice ripped through the sheets and pounced up standing over me protectively, as soon as she was up though I saw her eyes go wide with horror and she flipped her body nimbly over the headboard.

"OH SWEET GOD VIRGINIA THERE IS A SANTA CLAUSE!" I heard Emmett's voice cry out in uncontained glee. Whipping my head around the corner I saw him hit the floor like an avalanche as he held his hands over his head in a champion like position.

Carlisle twisted his body around on the spot and knocked into Esme and Jasper with a loud boom sending the three of them to the floor in a mixture of explanations and apologies. Vampires, not tending to fall by nature made the situation completely ridiculous. If I wasn't near heart attack I might have laughed at the shocked look on their faces as the scrambled up each other to regain their composures.

Rosalie cackled with laughter and buried her face into her hands as she blindly slapped her hand out trying to make contact with Emmett's cheering head to shut him up. "Oh my god!" Rose snorted out loudly. "Bella is your vagina made of gold or something?!" I blushed furiously red as I tried to reach my panties that were still balled up on the floor next to my clothing.

Emmett shook the house with laughter and pointed towards us. "Oh my god Bella your back! Were you attacked by a wild animal?"

Finally Rose stopped laughing long enough to wrap her hands around Emmett's thick calf and drag him out the room banging his fist in laughter. The two of them hit the stairs and I could hear them crashing down them loudly, laughing uncontrollably the whole time.

"Girls we are so sorry," Carlisle began, taking a step towards us.

"Out!" Alice yelped her spiky disheveled hair the only thing visible above the headboard of her bed.

"Oh god right!" Esme said flinging both arms in different directions, grabbing Jasper and Carlisle by the collars of their shirts and pushing them out of the room. Grabbing the door handle she slammed the door shut behind her and I could hear them all breathing deeply in spite of their need for it on the other side of the door.

"Girls?" Carlisle's shaky voice called from the other side.

"Yes," Alice yelled back squeakily.

"I recognize this is a very bad time, but I'm afraid that I need to speak to the both of you urgently."

Alice looked at me her eyes wide with shock and turned her head back towards the door. "Now?!"

"Not right now!" I heard Esme yell as she I assume pushed Carlisle away. "We'll be downstairs girls, come down whenever you're um…done."

"Oh god," I said slamming my face to the floor mortified.

"Wait Esme!" Alice called out.

"Yes sweetheart?" she answered, her voice regaining her calm motherly tone.

"Is Edward here?"

She hesitated for a second and I heard her breath out deeply. "No we haven't seen Edward for the last month or so."

"Oh ok," Alice said breathing a sigh or relief.

I felt the same sigh of relief pass over my own lips and realized that the thought had been in the back of my mind as well.

"We'll be down as quick as possible." Alice said standing up and pulling me up off the floor.

"Ok," Esme said and I heard her turn and begin down the stairs.

I sat down on the edge of the bed is shock and stared at Alice speechless. "That was."

"Horrible?" She answered rubbing her temple.

"Did you not see it coming?"

"Erm no…I was preoccupied," she giggled to me. Straightening her face she looked around her room. "We had better get down there."

"Yes we better had," I mumbled willing the redness to leave my cheeks. "Uh Alice…I have no clothing."

Getting an evil look on her face she ran into her closet and returned with four packed shopping bags. "What the hell are those?" I choked out.

"Clothes I bought you."

"When?!"

"Well," she started guiltily. "Whenever we went shopping I always bought you extra and just kind of hid it from you. I had intended to start switching out your clothing piece by piece till it was all you had left."

"Oh my god," I half laughed and half muttered in amazement. "And now?"

"And now you're my girlfriend, so in exchange for my presence you have to put up with me dressing you up whenever I want?"

"And if I refuse?" I asked teasingly, my head going dizzy with happiness at the title girlfriend.

"That would be bad," she replied huskily, biting her bottom lip and stepping towards me. "Remember I have lived a hundred years without making love with you Bella. I can go another hundred years on just memories alone." She said pushing her body against mine and speaking a centimeter away from my now trembling lips.

"Oh ok," was all I could shake out.

Downstairs I heard the loudest imitation of whip I had ever heard followed by Rosalie and Emmett's thunderous laughter. I could hear Esme's hands whip through the air and catch them on the back of their heads, both of them snorted back laughter and the house grew silent beneath our feet again.

"So shall we?" She asked rolling her eyes and pulling out a pair of expensive designer jeans.

"If we must," I grumbled grabbing the jeans from her in defeat.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Sorry I did not post last night as usual. I had to work the overnight. XD

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. Stephenie Meyers does. Lucky her.

"Ah girls, hello." Carlisle said to us awkwardly as we entered the living room. "I'm sorry, about earlier. If we had known well that we would interrupting."

"It's ok," I murmured sitting down on the couch opposite Rose and Emmett and tried to ignore their smug looks.

"No it's not," Alice said pointedly sending a glare towards Emmett and Rose. "Why did you all just bust in like that. You had to know what was going on," turning to Jasper she added, "didn't you…well didn't you feel it?"

Jasper looked towards Carlisle and let out a bewildered sigh. "Well no…honestly I couldn't feel anything," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked shifting a nervous glance towards Carlisle who looked to be in deep thought before turning her attention back to Jasper.

"When we got here, I…couldn't feel anything…at all. I thought that you weren't here actually. But then…I couldn't feel anything from anybody. It's like I hit a bubble or something."

"Oh," Alice said, the shock evident in her voice. "And now?"

"Well when we…interrupted you two it's like the bubble popped and I felt well…everything," he said looking down into his hands. I believe if it were possible to blush he would have been.

Putting her hand to her temple, Alice set down next to me with a sigh. She sat in silence for a few seconds before she turned questioningly to Carlisle. "The issue with Jasper's ability aside…didn't you well hear what we were doing?"

At this Esme put her hand on Carlisle shoulder and answered for him, "I'm sorry honey but…when we walked in we heard you scream and we could smell Bella's blood…we thought…"

"Oh…oh god," Alice said realization sinking in.

"Alice?" Carlisle said raising his stare. "Did you not see us coming?"

"Well no," Alice said looking a slight miffed. "I was preoccupied, you surprised me."

"Curious," Carlisle muttered. "I have never known you to be surprised."

"Now that you mention it," Jasper said looking curiously towards Alice. "He has a point…you have never been to…preoccupied to receive a vision." At that he looked awkwardly away from me.

It took a second for the reason for his awkwardness to sink in and I suddenly felt extremely jealous at the mention of his and Alice's previous sex life.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

At once I felt horrible and just as awkward and became very interested in the fabric of my jeans. "S'ok," I mumbled back.

"Well this is very interesting, but I'm afraid we have another issue to deal with at the moment," Carlisle said standing up. Walking towards us he sat down and retrieved his cell phone from his pocket.

"What kind of issue," I asked steadily leaning closer to Alice.

"I received the most…troubling voicemail the other day from Aro. That would be of the Volturi Bella. Do you know who they are?"

"Yes, Edward mentioned them once. He said they were kind of like the vampiric police?"

"That would be a good enough description as any."

"What did he want," Alice asked.

"I think it would be best to play you the message and save time as they will be here soon I suspect."

"They're coming here?" Alice choked out.

"Yes, I'm afraid they are," Carlisle said giving the phone to me. "Just press ok Bella, we'll be able to hear it just fine."

"Right," I said shakily bringing the phone to my ear and pressing play.

A deep melodious voice rang out into my ear as the message began, "Hello Carlisle my old friend. I regret that I have caught you away from you phone as I would have liked to speak to you, but this shall do I guess. I wish I was calling you under different circumstances, but some very…unsettling news has reached our ears that I feel we must sort out promptly. The news concerns your human, a Ms. Bella Swan and her knowledge of our world. Even more unsettling I understand she seems to have a relationship with werewolves who attacked one of our kind and nearly killed her. I am sure you understand the concern I have. A small group and I shall be visiting you and your family next Saturday at 5p.m. at your residence in Forks to discuss the manner. Until then keep well Carlisle and I shall see you soon."

"Victoria," Alice growled out deeply.

"Yes, I suspect that she had gone to them." Carlisle said taking the phone from my shaking hands and slipping it back into his pocket. "Bella, I am curious about the werewolves he mentioned. I'm assuming he is referring to the Quileutes, but I thought the werewolves had left."

"Yes, my friend Jacob is one. He said that they change when Vampires are near."

"That's fascinating," said to himself.

"They aren't really werewolves though," Alice murmured.

"No they are a different species all together, but I don't think the Volturi will easily accept that explanation. Aro especially hates werewolves."

"Should we warn them," I asked worry filling my mind.

"I think it would be best if they were there, once Aro touches one of them, he will know that they are not true werewolves, and the alleged attack was validated. Bella, I would appreciate it if you would go and get them. It is already near noon and Aro is nothing but punctual."

"I'll take you," Alice jumping up.

"Do you think that is a good ideal," Carlisle asked giving her a hesitant look. "They would probably not appreciate you on their land."

"It's ok," Alice chuckled. "Jacob and I shared a rather horrific chewing out by Bella, I believe we bonded over it a bit."

"If you think it will be ok then by all means go." We all could use a moments rest anyways. We left in quite a hurry. Our things won't even be here for another day."

"Your things," I asked turning to them excitedly.

"Yes Bella," Carlisle said smiling softly at me. "We will be moving back. I think it would benefit you to have an entire guard of Vampires looking over you as you seem to attract constant danger."

"Ain't that the fucking truth?" Rose snorted.

Her remark lightened the mood and we all shared a small laugh before Alice and I turned to leave.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Sorry about the lag in writing. I have been working overtime. Here you go people! BTW this my favorite chapter cause I totally would rather be a werewolf than a vampire no offense. By the way here are the meanings of the names of the three characters I introduced. Yusuf Hebrew for He Will Enlarge. Sonam Tibetan for Gifted. Aniella Latin for Little Lamb. OH AND LOL TOWARDS THE GIRL WHO WENT ALL HOMOPHOBIC FLAMEY IN MY REVIEWS.

Disclaimer I don't own Twilight. Stephenie Meyers does. Luck her.

Jacob's POV

Outside the house, under the cover of the tree line that stretches for miles out the Cullen's back door, I could hear my brother wolves watching and waiting nervously, anticipating the worst possible scenario.

I have to admit that I was a little more than apprehensive as well. When Bella had burst through my door screaming about vampire police and werewolves I had phased right there out of a mixture of anger, fear, and bewilderment. I have to give it to Bella, spending all her time around bloodsuckers and the pack had made her somewhat fearless, because she just rolled her eyes and told me to change back instantly.

I had phased out at the same time the rest of the pack was also changed so they came spilling into my room behind Bella like a herd of elephants less than five minutes later.

Bella quickly went through the explanation of the situation unfolding at the Cullens house in less than five hours and it was decided that I would go alone with her to talk to Dr. Cullen. After the conversation I would phase out so could all get the story from me.

I was especially curious about the other werewolves he told me about. They felt like distant cousins to me, and I wanted to learn more about them. They, who were so like my packmates and I…and yet so incredibly different, they're very existence something more close to that of the likes of vampires.

My feeling towards vampires is very difficult to explain. Before I became to know the Cullen's through Bella, I had changed and was instantly granted the certainty that they were nothing but a plague on this earth, incapable of love and reason. But I couldn't believe that now, not with all I knew. This world of make believe monsters we lived in was a strange one, and now the knowledge of the other werewolves, the real werewolves existence added another layer to it.

I admit I was slightly freaked out when Dr. Cullen went more into detail explaining the vampires he called the Volturi and their impending visit. A coven of "vegetarian vampires" I could handle. But now that I knew that in a few short hours the equivalent of vampire royalty would be knocking on my territory door, I was nervous with anticipation.

Dr. Cullen explained to me that one of the bloodsuckers would have to touch me to be assured that my packmates and I were not a threat like the other werewolves they had encountered. The thought made me more than a little queasy. Quite frankly vampires stink something horrible. They smell like a mountain of fruit, sat out in the sun to spoil and ferment in it's own juice. The Cullen's smelt slightly less sweet, I believe thanks to their unusual lifestyle, but when I had been chasing after the redheaded vampire, even with my nose filled with salt water I had to hold back gags.

After Carlisle finished with his explanation I assured him I would be back, and hit the ground running out there back door. My packmates were waiting for me less than a mile away in a clearing, waiting for me to reveal the details of my conversation with Dr. Cullen.

The conversation and subsequent debate started less than a few seconds after I had changed, and when I broke out in to the clearing they were already to go at each other's throats. Half wanted to ignore the situation completely and return to the reserve to let the Cullen's deal with the affairs of vampires themselves. The other half saw it as an opportunity to attack and kill some very dangerous sounding vampires. It was no surprise that the knowledge of vampires with special abilities was highly distressing.

I simultaneously stopped the chaotic arguing, and shot down both of the arguments behind it. We would not turn tail and hide on the reservation because even through they were the "affairs of vampires", they affected us and at that I brought the bits and pieces Carlisle had explained of the other werewolves to mind for them all. If we did not meet them, they would take it as an admission of guilt. And then they would come for us and hunt us down like our distant brethren. We were a fierce pack, but they were many.

Turning on them I also reminded them that the Cullen's deserved our cooperation anyways. They did not need to defend us. They just could of easily have said that we were beasts and not be preparing to defend us against what was in their world the judge, jury, and executioner. I knew that would get to my brothers more than anything. If I know one thing about my kind, is that we don't like to feel ashamed and cowardly.

The second argument was just as flawed if not more so than the first. We could not attack these vampires for the same reason we could not abandon the Cullens in the first place. The members of their world would see an attack as way more than an admission of guilt. It would completely confirm their opinion of us and we would again be killed all the same. Carlisle had said that Alice had seen only five of them coming. There were plenty more were they come from. And again I made the point that it would be bad for the Cullens. They would be guilty by association and share our fates along with us.

So it was decided that I would join the Cullens at the meeting and let the man called Aro rest his hand on my shoulder and see all I had ever seen. My pack would wait tensely outside, close enough to be recognized, but not close enough to seem threatening.

So here I sat now in the Cullen's living room. Waiting impatiently for a handful of leaches to come and be assured that my pack were not the same as the ones they hunted. The room was silent except for the sound of the T.V. droning on. Carlisle stepped into the room and nodded to us.

"They just pulled up guys," he said slowly. We all made to stand up nervously and he waved us back. "I will go greet them. You all stay here and we will get this sorted out before you know it," he said smiling grimly at us before turning back out of the room.

Bella let out an exhausted sigh and stood up off the couch, smoothing down he crease uncomfortably on her jeans. Now that I actually looked at her, I realized that she was wearing a very odd outfit. The clothing wasn't bad looking, it just was obviously not an outfit made fore Bella to wear. I opened my mouth to speak when Carlisle stepped in the room and cleared his throat. The rest of the Cullens all stood up and turned our eyes to the door as they entered.

The first one in the door behind Dr. Cullen wore a purple silk business suit that looked more expensive than all the tea in China. His hair was meticulously pressed to his head, not a strand out of place. He pushed expensive looking pair of sunglasses up his head and smiled widely.

Next to him stood a younger looking female who looked to be slightly off her rocker in my opinion, her nostrils flared when her eyes fell on me and I nearly choked on horrid smell radiating from her. She did not smell sickly sweet like fermented fruit like the others. She smelled like just plain rotten fruit in a landfill.

Behind them walked in a young male vampire who was looking very uncertainly at Bella. It did not look threatening, more like someone would look at a very advanced math question. He was certainly exotic looking, definitely of eastern decent, though honestly I couldn't tell you from where. The natural darkness of his skin looked odd and washed out. Still it was a change to see a vampire who was not white as a sheet.

Finally a huge man walked in behind them looking menacingly towards all of us. His very posture and manner suggested that if any of us made a move he disliked he would not think to slaughter us all. As he walked towards us though I could not help but feel smug about the fact that for all his brawn, he was still at least three inches shorten myself. I heard Alice stifle a giggle into her hand and I winked at her.

"Ah so this is the most esteemed Cullen Coven, plus two," the business looking man said smiling and nodding towards Bella and myself.

"Yes Aro this is my family." Dr. Cullen said slipping his arm around Esme's waist. Starting down the line he listed off our names. "This is my wife Esme. My sons Jasper and Emmett, and my daughters Rosalie and Alice. That is Ms. Bella Swan who is as much a part of our family as any, and next to her is Mr. Jacob Black of the Quileute Indians."

"Greeting to all of you. My name is Aro," he said resting his hand on his chest before motioning to towards his colleagues. "This is Jane, Sonam, and Yusuf," he said, introducing them in the order they came in.

Not sure what to do now that the greeting had been made I stepped forwards hesitantly. "Aro," I said feeling uncomfortable using his name so personally. "I would just like to instantly assure you that my packmates and I are no danger, and that we only took chase to Victoria to protect Bella. I understand why you are concerned and I'm fine if you want to…put your hand on me or whatever you need to do…" I said trailing off as he smiled and shook his head towards me.

"There is no need Mr. Black. I am well aware of the nature of you pack and I know that you pose little danger to our world beyond protecting your land."

"I'm confused," Carlisle said moving towards us. "You're saying you know about the Quileutes shape-shifting abilities."

"Of course I am Carlisle. Are you so surprised?"

"Well honestly yes."

"No I have known about them since the very first of their kind sprung into existence all those years ago. You underestimate the Volturi, ours eyes and ears reach far and miss nothing."

"I'm not sure why I am here then," I said nervously looking towards Dr. Cullen for guidance. He looked just as confused as I felt.

"No worries Mr. Black, I have only come with a proposition for you really, but I would prefer to discuss it after we clear up the matter of Ms. Swan," he said resting his eyes on her. "Hello Bella it is very nice to make your acquaintance."

"Yes, um the same to you?" Bella said unable to keep from shaking slightly. Alice rested her hand assuring around her waist and looked towards Aro pointedly.

"There is no need to be nervous dear. I am here more out of technicality sake. It is not very often permitted that humans are allowed to…well how do I put this delicately? Possess knowledge of our existence if they are not to share it with us in less than a few moments."

"She will be changed very soon," Alice said bluntly. The thought of it stung and I fought back a slight growl.

"Can I be assured of that," he asked questionably hovering his hand over her wrist.

"Be my guest," Alice said pushing her wrist up against the palm of his hand.

He remained motionless for a second before a smile broke out over his face. "Well yes I can see that I have nothing to worry about Ms. Swans knowledge of us as long as you promise that it will not be very soon off?"

"As soon as she has graduated," Alice nodded.

"And how do you feel about that Ms. Swan?"

"It's what I want," Bella said leaning against Alice.

"Very well, I don't suppose you would mind if I had a peak around your head to, for posterity's sake."

"No I don't mind," Bella said extending a shaking hand.

Aro rested his hand on her and stood there silent for a second before a rather confused look marred his features and his eyes opened. "That is quite odd?"

"What is?" Bella asked.

"My dear I find myself unable to read you at all."

"Yes," Carlisle said slowly. "Bella seems to have that affect on people. My other son…Edward…can not read her mind either."

"Most interesting. Sonam would you please join me?"

At that the exotic looking male stepped next to Bella's side and fixed his eyes deep into hers. "Sonam," Aro started to explain, "has a very unique ability. He is something of guidance councilor you might say. He can meet a human and know if they might have any special abilities as a vampire."

"Remarkable." Carlisle said curiously.

"Yes quite so," Aro murmured turning back to Sonam. "Well, do you have an explanation for Ms. Swans gift?

"She is a shield," Sonam started in a very thick accent. "Even as a human right now her abilities are quite extraordinary. She can shield herself from mental attacks without even trying. That is why your own and the vampire Edwards abilities do not work. I believe also in times of heightened emotion she would be able to shield not only anyone close to her, but also from physical abilities like the empath's." He said tipping his head towards Jasper. And as an afterthought he added, "oh and she seems to have a very strong amount of self control, I doubt her newborn year will be very difficult at all in regards to the…lifestyle choices of this coven."

"Oh my that is quite a useful gift." Aro mused.

The next series of events happened so fast I nearly missed them. I heard Alice gasp and looked over to see her close her eyes for no less than a second. Before her lids had even raised all the way back up she lunged at the one called Jane roaring with rage. Jane shifted her hard gaze towards Alice and Alice fell to her knees inches from her in agony. The Cullens all growled throatily and behind me I could hear my pack leave the cover of the trees. Bella flung herself down on Alice and wrapped her in her arms tightly. Alice body relaxed instantly and Jane gave a frustrated roar.

"Jane!" Aro bellowed at her. "That is absolutely no way to act. I'm very sorry Carlisle," he said putting up his hands in peace. "Jane, would you please go outside, I will call you when I need you to bring in Aniella."

Jane shot a hate-filled glare at Bella and stalked out of the room, nearly knocking Yusuf over in her wake. Alice gasped uncharacteristically short of needless breath as Bella helped her to stand up.

"I'm very deeply sorry Ms. Swan and to you Alice. Jane is usually very easy to control at times, but she relies very heavily on her gift. She does not take to the ideal that it would not work on someone."

"It's ok," Alice said, voice returning to normal. "I understand about relying on a gift."

"You mentioned another name Aro," Carlisle said, exhaustion creeping into his voice.

"Right, but first Mr. Black would you please tell your pack mates they can return to the tree line. There will be no more violence."

Turning towards the door I told them that it was really okay. They stalked wearingly back to the tree line and I could hear one of them whine with anticipation.

"Thank you. Now yes I mentioned another name. Aniella is something of a ward to me, and that is why I wanted young Mr. Black here. With the addition to Sonam to our ranks the Volturi have begun to stretch out and…well recruit new members to help us enforce the laws of our world. Aniella was one of the gifted humans we stumbled across. She has two very interesting gifts. The first is very much like Ms. Swans in the way that she has a very unique sense of self-control. The second is very rare, she can manipulate objects quite successfully."

Seeing our confusion at his second description he smiled and continued. "By that I mean she has the unique ability to transform one object into another. As a human it was very subdued, only able to change a color a few shades lighter or darker for less than a few seconds. Indeed she believed that it was only a trick of her mind. But now…well the ability has blossomed into something quite extraordinary."

"I'm sorry but I'm still not sure how this pertains to my pack and I at all." I said slowly.

"Of course, I'm sorry to rambling on. Well we found Aniella living in Voltaire with her family. Which was quite a problem for us in the same sense that the Cullen's do not instantly change Ms. Swan. We do not hunt nor change the residents of Voltaire. Indeed it is most strictly forbidden. It is hard to retain a permanent residence somewhere if the other residents think you mythical creatures of the night, set out to prey on their children. So I made the decision to get to know Aniella first, so I might decide the best way of going about obtaining her allegiance."

"Ok," I said starting to become frustrated.

"Unfortunately the situation did not go as planned. We have hunted the majority of the werewolves in Europe down. They are generally dangerous and hard to control. Sadly we can get every one of them and on the very eve of when I planned to set my plan into motion to change Aniella, a rouge werewolf attacked her. I arrived to late to be able to save her, and the wolf had bitten her already."

I sucked in deep breath and fixed all my attention on his words, suddenly filled with interest. I could hear that my brethren had stopped breathing all together as well to hear the details of a species so like our own.

"Now under normal circumstances I would have had to kill Aniella. But well, I must admit I had developed a certain fondness for her even as a human. So I decided to bring her back to our quarters and secure her to see how she would handle the transformation, using curiosity as my excuse. After she had changed into a werewolf I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the abilities we had discovered in her as a human had strengthened in the same fashion they would have if she had become a vampire."

"She's still alive then?" I asked hurriedly.

"Yes she is alive and well. But I find myself in quite the predicament. My fondness for Aniella keeps me from being able to take her life, and coupled with that she is very unlike her brother and sister wolfs. She behaves much like a werewolf who has lived a hundred of years would. But I can not keep her in Volturi with me, so I would like it very much if you would accept her into your pack." And at that he turned towards the door, "Jane please bring in Aniella!" he called.

Nervousness hit my system and I was instantly on guard. While I was definitely curious about this girl, I was not just instantly willing to take her in. I knew that she was different than my packmates and myself. As Carlisle had put it, true werewolves were like vampires. They could eat animals, but they truly craved human flesh above all else. I was formulating a refusal when Jane stalked back into the room with a tired looking girl in tow.

Her hair was black, darker than the feathers of a raven, and softer looking than I would suspect the finest silk in the world to be. Her skin was a deep tan color, her cheeks slightly rosy. Her eyes were brown, deeper and fuller than any person's eyes should be, but they danced with curiosity and she looked shyly towards me sniffing the air. I felt oxygen fill my lungs again and the soft smell of her washed over me, completely covering up the smell of the near dozen vampires in the room with us. It smelt like a mix of the most decadent chocolate would, and what I believe kissing the love of your life in the middle of a summer's rain shower would. She was tiny in frame, her height less than an inch shorter than that of Alice's. She looked like the kind that could be easily broken and I wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in my strong arms and never let her go. I was in love with her the moment she had walked in the door.

"So…" Aro began. "Do you think that would be a problem?"

I don't remember walking towards her, all I know is that one second I had been standing next to Bella, and now I was standing next to Aniella smiling down at her. "She can stay with me forever." I said turning towards Aro who was smiling smugly along with the rest of my family.

"Well this is just marvelous," Aro said gleefully. "Carlisle my old friend I must bid you and your glorious family adieu." And at that he took Carlisle hand in his own and shook it strongly.

"Aniella, my dear. I trust you will be happy here."

"Yes I think I will Aro," she said smiling up into my eyes. Breaking away her gaze she gave him a slight hug and returned her gaze to me.

"Goodbye Cullen's I hope to see you again soon."

"But not to soon," Carlisle said only half jokingly.

"No not to soon, I know it is not a pleasurable experience to have the big bad Volturi pop in." Aro sighed.

"No I'm afraid its not," Carlisle said warmly.

And with that the Volturi left as quickly as they had came. We all stood staring at each other for a second before Esme cleared her throat and began shooing everyone towards the door.

Smiling sweetly at us she put her hand on my arm and smiled. "We'll just leave you two to talk." I don't think I had ever loved a vampire as much as I loved that woman right now.

Looking down at Aniella I smiled, suddenly finding myself extremely nervous. "Hi…I'm Jacob…or Jake…or you know whatever."

Her face broke into a teasing smile and she giggled softly, "Ok Whatever. My name is Aniella."

I nearly jumped in excitement at the sound of Whatever rolling out of her mouth. I knew that she could have been calling me Tree Rot and I would have gone with it. Suddenly I heard the sound of twelve wolfs phasing back to there human form and breaking through the door toppling over each other and looking up at me.

"Hey guys," I said not even taking my eyes of the goddess in front of me. "This is Aniella, and she's with us now."

"Oh god." I heard one of them groan. "The damn fools imprinted."

I only smiled wider at the word and picked her up in my arms before stepping over the mass of bodies and barreling off back to the reservation with her, both of us phasing in mid-run.


	23. Chapter 23

Bella's POV

Graduation. After twelve years of school I had made it here. I hadn't had a bad schooling experience. I had only been moderately picked on for my skin coloring, nothing to dramatic. There had been jokes about my less than graceful ways, but nothing to exaggerated, luckily for me it seemed endearing to most of the people I had met along the way. No…definitely not a bad experience all around.

And still now looking back on it, knowing all I know now and having Alice in my life; I can't help but think that it was a completely wretched experience. It seems so…so pointless. Maybe it's because it's graduation, and that's how I'm supposed to feel. But I think it has more to do with the fact that now that I have Alice, now that I'm looking forwards to an eternity to her, everything in my life before her seems horrible and pointless. I'm sure there is some song somewhere about every experience taking me closer to her, but I could honestly care less about that line of wisdom.

In three hours I would be graduating, and less than a week after I would say goodbye to Charlie and Renee for a very long time, possibly forever. Sonam had said that my newborn year would not be a difficult or hard one, but I did not feel like taking a chance with my parents.

So we had come up with an easy enough cover story to meet the occasion, I had explained to my parents that it had always been my dream to study abroad in Europe and that is where I would be spending the next year, which wasn't a complete lie, seeing as Alice and I did plan to go to Europe as soon as I could be around humans without imagining how they would taste fresh.

If after a year it seemed I would be able to handle them I would see them maybe once or twice a year afterwards, saying I had fallen in love with Paris or London and that I would setting down roots there.

Easy enough I had figured at the time, but now as I sat here at Alice's vanity being done up to the nines by my vampire, I couldn't help but think of Charlie's poor face when I had told him. He had tried to be the strong tough cop he is, but I knew that he was hurting from it. I think he had secretly wanted me to stay close to home.

"Hey, you know if you cry I'm gonna have to start all over again," Alice said wrapping her cool strong arms around me and giving me a slight squeeze.

"Oh," I said running my hand up to my eyes to wipe away any swelling tears. "I was just thinking about graduation."

"Liar."

"No it's true, you just don't appreciate the experience because this is the forty-ninth time you've graduated high school."

"It totally is not," she teased slapping my arm and kissing me on the forehead. "It is only the forty-eighth. And don't think you can fool me into believing this has anything to do with graduation. I saw you decide to lie to me."

"Stupid vampires," I murmured slipping my hands over my face and wresting on her shoulder. Letting out a sigh when she wrapped her arms around me I let a tear fall.

"What is wrong," she whispered into my hair. "Are you having second thoughts? Because we don't have to…" At that I cut off her line of thought by pressing my lips hard against hers. "Do this," she mumbled into my mouth before pressing her lips against mine. After a second though she forced herself away and looked me deep in my eyes. "Bella?" she asked softly, worry evident in her eyes.

"I'm fine; I promise…I'm not having any second thoughts about it. I'm just thinking about Charlie. I mean Renee has got Phil, but Charlie doesn't have anyone now. Who's gonna cook for him?" As I started talking the words came faster and more panicked till I was now rising out of my seat almost.

"Bella," Alice said rising with me and pressing her cool lips firmly against mine. The action calmed me down and sat there for a second, letting the familiar coolness wash over me.

"Yes?" I finally asked.

"Your dad is going to be just fine; I can assure you that I have already seen several very eligible bachelorettes decide that when you abscond for Europe they will personally make sure that the Chief of Police has three very square meals a day…from their beds."

"Oh god Alice!" I yelled putting my hands around her throat teasingly. "Thanks for the mental image there!"

"Haha, my baby gets what my baby wants," she said, her body shaking with laughter.

Running my hands up her neck and twisting them through her short spiky hair I pulled it tightly, cutting off her laugh and giving her the most lustful look I could muster up. "Whatever I want?" I purred into her ear, flicking my tongue across the lobe.

"Oh god," she groaned out. "Whatever you want."

"Good," I said pressing my lips hard against her and running my tongue over them, demanding entrance into her mouth, which she willingly granted. Running my tongue across her sensitive teeth I was rewarded with a deep throaty purr as I caught the faint taste of her venom in my mouth. It tasted sweet like some kind of ripe tropical fruit, with a faint taste to vanilla and cinnamon. The first time I had tasted it I had almost had a heart attack and was convinced I would begin changing, but Alice had assured me that would not happen; and now I was rather fond of the taste. Alice looped her hands under my ass and I found myself pressed against the wall as she deepened the kiss.

"Hey you two," I heard Esme yell from the other side of the door. "While you two are very heartwarming and all, we have to get going now or we're going to be late!"

"Damn." Alice mumbled into my mouth as she sat me back down on my feet.

"We're coming Esme," I said playfully slapping Alice's arm.

"Ok girls, I'll meet you downstairs."

"You ready for this?" Alice said with a sweet tenderness to her voice.

"As I'll ever be," I sighed and followed her out of the room.

Edward's POV

Walking out of the hotel room into the cool night air I took a deep breath and began strolling down the sidewalk. I had been here in Mexico City for the last week trying my hardest to track Victoria but with no luck.

Noticing the date on the local newspaper I was startled to realize that it was already the end of May. "Bella will be graduating," I mused to myself.

I had checked in on Bella a few times since I had left, careful not to get to close. I know Alice had picked me up about twice, but I had been especially careful the other times, not making any decision out and out. Instead when I had decided it was indeed time to check in, I had taken a slow indirect approach, changing directions often. I had stayed close to Bella's mother for a time to see what she was thinking as well, hoping to gain insight.

Mostly I was hoping to figure out which if any college Bella would be going to. I know it was weak of me, but I knew that for the rest of Bella's life I would follow her in the shadows, protecting her if ever the need should arise. I was somewhat shocked when I overheard a phone conversation between Charlie and Renee about Bella going to school in Europe.

That was odd. Not my Bella at all. But she wasn't my Bella anymore I reminded myself. Maybe she had been able to move on after all. Maybe she hoped to get as far away from my family and me as possible. I sincerely hoped that was the driving force behind her decision to abscond to another continent.

Becoming aware of my surrounding I realized I had gravitated towards a car dealership, and I found myself staring at a gorgeous Ford Mustang. Maybe I should go back to Forks. Not right away, but drive up there slowly. Take a few weeks. Just to check and see which college she planned to attend so I could make my own plans to move as well.

Yes I would go back to Forks, and then up to see my family. I had not seen them in much to long.

Alice's POV

I had to laugh softly to myself as Bella started to walk nervously across the stage. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment caused by a stumble up the stairs. Maybe it had been a mistake to put her in such large heels…but she looked so damn good.

Suddenly I felt my eyes begin to haze over and I readied myself for a vision. I saw a glimpse of Edward buying a car and then my vision shook itself free, almost like I had lost the signal.

Looking up I saw Bella walking towards the seat next to mine with a very thoughtful and deep expression across her face. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she squeezed Charlie's hand as she sat between us.

Whatever my vision was supposed to be, Bella must have been feeling strong enough emotions at the moment to short circuit my ability again. Combing through the few details I had I could not see anything that would suggest anything out of the miss. Edward had just decided to by a car. No big deal there right? But still I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Victoria's POV

I stood silently in the shadows as I saw Edward cockily slide into the sleek new car he had just purchased. I couldn't help but chuckle blissfully at his youthful ignorance. Turning towards Maria I gave her a soft hug, "Thank you my friend, for all the help you have given me over the last few months."

"The pleasure was all mine," She said before pushing me away slightly and smiling at me reassuringly. "Do me one favor please?"

"Of course, anything for you."

"Do tell Jasper we miss him ever so desperately down here."

"I will deliver your message myself."

"Very well then mi amigo bonito, good luck and farewell." And at that she turned away from me and disappeared into the darkness of a tinted limo.

Sighing to myself, I turned and walked down the ally behind me. From the shadows stepped two young vampires, each with eyes filled to the brim with eager redness. They were going to be so helpful to me.

Smiling to myself I motioned them towards my own shiny red sports car and sat in the passenger's side, pulling my sunglasses into my hair and leaning back.

"Where too?" Samuel asked turning the car on while Amelia crawled into the back seat.

"Seattle my dear friend" I said unable to contain my glee.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Sorry for the lag in story posting. I've been working to much lately. LOL Anyways here you go, hope it was worth the wait. Just a warning it gets pretty MA at the end of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own this. Stephanie Meyers does. Enough said.

Alice's POV

The inaudible words drifting from between Bella's slightly parted lips filled me with a deep feeling of love and warmth for her. The sun was just beginning to rise above the tree line and was shining through my window, illuminating my skin like a thousand shiny diamonds. But I didn't even notice it with Bella laying beside me, wrapped up in her own dream world. I was enthralled by the different shades of brunette that her hair took on in the sunlight. I could not fight the urge to run my fingers through her soft hair, and was not the least bit sorry when she gave a waking sigh and pushed her head up into my hand.

"Morning," I said leaning towards her and kissing her on the end of her nose.

"Mmmhmm," was her reply as she opened her eyes slightly and smiled sleepily at me. "What time is it?"

"Around eightish," I replied absentmindedly, pulling a strand of her soft hair through my fingers.

She asked arching her back and stretching out her muscles sleekly. I could help but muse to myself that she would probably have the hunting style of an ally cat when she was changed. My heart would have burst with excitement at the thought of that if it could have. I knew by this time tomorrow, Bella would be in the throes of change. She did not know this, which made me all the more excited with anticipation.

Bella cleared her throat and looked at me expectedly, "Alice…hello? You get any of that?"

"Erm…no," I giggled to myself.

"Silly vampire," she murmured teasingly. Running a hand up my arm she dragged her fingers through my short spiky hair. "I asked what was on the agenda for toady now that I'm all yours."

Indeed Bella was now all mine, yesterday Charlie had "put her on a plane" bound for Paris. I had never been so glad for heightened security in my life, seeing as these days it was next to impossible to see someone actually board a plane without having to buy a ticket. Bella had simply sat in the coffee shop waiting for the all clear sign, walked back out to my car, and together we had come back to Forks, arriving a whole half hour before Charlie in fact.

"Well," I started. "The rest of the family left about an hour ago on a nice weekend hunting trip."

"Ooh," she smiled. "So we have the place to ourselves."

"Yes we do, but they have their cell phones on…in case we need them." I said laying my own cell phone between us and closing her hand over it.

"Why would we need them?" She asked her eyes becoming slightly hooded with the mutual need I felt rising between us. No I thought to myself. Must resist naughty Bella sexing for the moment. First thing is first.

"Because," I said sitting up and pulling her into a sit as well. "We might need Carlisle's help in case…anything goes wrong."

Bella sat there for a second in silence as the realization of what I was trying to tell her sunk in. "Nothing will go wrong," she said throwing the phone over her shoulder and wrapping her arms around my neck.

I smiled into her mouth when she captured my lips with hers and ran her tongue across them, demanding entrance. I was more than happy to oblige. Bella sucking and nipped at my tongue before running her own over my overly sensitive teeth. The feeling that created drove me crazy and she knew it.

Before the situation went further I pushed her back away from me lightly, I had planned this entire day out and I wanted it to go perfectly. "Come on now, it's breakfast time for the human."

"Really?" Bella asked incredulously.

"Yes really," I giggled.

"Isn't it kind of pointless?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the clueless look currently plaster across Bella's face. "Sweetheart you don't think I'm going to change you in like an hour do you?"

"Well kind of…" she said, hurt evident in her voice.

Pulling her close to me I and hovered my lips above her ear and blew a cool breath into it. "Don't you know we like to play with our food before we eat it?"

"Oh god," she moaned, melting against me.

"But first…you need to eat…because then you will have energy…and then I can work that energy off of you…before I make it so we will be together for eternity…"I said stopping every few words to kiss her all over her face.

"Ok, ok I give," Bella laughed rolling out from under my repeated kisses. "You know every mean thing you do to me; you will pay for when I can chase you down."

"Ooh scary threats from the human," I giggled standing up as well and pulling on a pair of jeans.

"You just wait," she growled. "So what are we doing now?"

"You are going to go downstairs and eat and I am going to go hunting. I want to be completely full…" I said trailing off and running a hand through my spiky hair and looking down.

"Hey," she said putting a finger on my chin and lifting my face to hers. "It's going to be ok. I trust you."

"Good thing one of us do." I mumbled. "Ok go on and eat. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Mkay," she said kissing me softly on the lips before turning to leave the room.

Blowing out an exasperated breath, I turned and leaped out the window. My mind was overflowing with questions, and doubts, and fear. I wanted to forget all my feelings, but I knew that if I was to be successful tonight, I needed to…no I had to work through each one of them.

Expelling all the air from my longs I then took in a deep breath, focusing on the smells in the air. I chose the scent of a black bear to the north. I ran towards the smell at what wasn't necessarily a fast pace. I knew that I would get the bear, but I wanted time to think.

I wasn't that afraid that I wouldn't be able to stop myself tonight. I knew that I loved Bella beyond a doubt, and I knew I could never hurt her. But I wasn't afraid of not being able to stop, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to start. I knew I wanted her for eternity, more importantly I knew that she wanted the same thing. But I also knew that it will be the most difficult thing I have ever or will ever do in my lifetime. To sink my razor sharp teeth into Bella's warm flesh and inject my venom into her veins, to stop her heart. What if I froze? What if I simply couldn't? I knew that Bella would be changed, and I wanted to be the one who did it, but what if I just couldn't. The pressure gnawed at me.

My senses took control back of my mind when I realized that I was less than a mile away from my quarry. I swiftly climbed into a large tree and crept through the branches to the next tree, and then to the next, until I was now directly over the bear. From here I could tell that it was sleeping in an indent in the forest floor. It was a large bear, especially for black bear standards. I started to lower myself along the branches towards it, when I was hit square in the face with a startling sense of familiarness.

Staring open mouthed at the branch below me I lowered myself down onto it gently. Touching the bark I felt a phantom tear build up inside of me and held put my hand over my mouth to cover up the sob threatening to escape. I had unknowingly returned to be place I had spent to many, many hours at when Bella had first come into my life. I had sat here on this branch countless nights, away from Edward's mind-sight, envisioning a life with Bella that I had so desperately wanted. Oh god how I had hoped and dreamed then that I would be where I was in fact in my life right now.

And now I had it. Before the sun fell over the horizon tonight, my venom would be coursing through my Bella's veins. Linking her to me for all of eternity. And I was stupid enough to be questioning this moment. Suddenly I knew with all my being that I would not fail in my mission tonight. I would change Bella without a doubt. And then the both of us would be together forever.

Sighing in relief I looked at the bear below me. She was laying in the spot that I had created when I thought Edward meant to kill Bella on that first day. The forest had for the most part reclaimed it, but I had left enough of an impression to forever create a dip. I realized that some decisions, some events, some feelings were like that. They came into life at the blink of an eye, and even after they had passed they left an impression on this world, for all eternity. That is what Bella had done to me. She had come into my life and in less than a minute's glance across a clouded cafeteria; she had left an impression so deep in my soul, that only Bella would ever be able to fill it.

I let out a deep contented sigh and smiled down at the bear below me. I would not eat her today. No I would leave her, she didn't know it, and I'm sure Bella didn't realize it either. But her decision to bed down in that spot was an act of destiny I believe. She was like a vision telling me that tonight would be the best and most important of my life.

"Be safe," I whispered down to the sleeping giantess. And with that I began tearing through the tree tops towards the smell of a distant mountain lion. First I would dine, and then I would return to my Bella.

________________________________________________________________________

When I entered the house I felt the now familiar feeling of my vision being cut off. Bella must be feeling especially emotional I thought to myself. I didn't like being without my visions, but I was becoming more used to the feeling now. I knew that Bella could not control it, but I really hoped she would be able to gain control over it once she was changed, as Carlisle had suggested.

I have to admit that I was secretly in love with the fact that Edward had never made her feel so much that she haywired everyone's powers like this. It was like the firs time we had made love had locked a support beam off of her emotional damn and her ability had tumbled out with all our pent up longing

I was worried about Edward though. I had desperately been trying to get a vision of him for weeks now to no avail. I only caught glimmers now of him deciding on right or left. I knew enough to know that he was intentionally blocking me again with his decision making. I had no clue where he was because it was clear he was staying to back roads. It made me nervous, especially now that we were so close to the changing. Carlisle and I had discussed it and we had both come to the conclusion that we probably wouldn't be able to have any of our abilities work while Bella was in the throes of change. That was bad because if he did show up, I wouldn't know he was coming; and good because if he did arrive unannounced he wouldn't be able to read any of our minds.

It was a complicated situation that I forced out of my mind as I climbed the stairs towards Bella. I knew that she was taking a long bath at the moment, preparing herself for later. Turning from the door I went to my bedroom and walked into my closet to retrieve the items I had bought for tonight.

I had had to wait for Bella to go to sleep, and then high-tail it to Seattle to get all the things I wanted for this evening. I had of course grabbed the stereotypical items I felt would be useful. Candles, lacy underwear for myself, and even some satin sheets. One item though I had been especially eager to purchase, albeit a bit nervous. I had even had an uncharacteristic bout of embarrassment when I had handed the cashier my card and received a lewd wink from the bear of a man. I had technically cheated on this item I supposed. Bella had instructed me that any vision I received from her decision making, that wasn't dangerous, I was supposed to ignore and try and erase it from my memory. But when I had seen this one, I couldn't help but wrap myself around it.

"What's this," Bella asked breathlessly from the door as I lit the last candle.

"Just some things I bought for…" I trailed off when I turned around and saw her standing in front of me. She looked absolutely stunning. Gone were her ratted sleep pants and t-shirt. Instead she wore a matching bra and thong set. The first layer of material was a dark blood red color of satin, and over that was black lace that showed little heart patterns of the red through. I stood there for a few seconds completely speechless, before Bella self-consciously crossed her arms.

"What do you think?" she asked lightly.

"Oh god," I gulped out. "You look amazing. How? When?"

"The other night I woke up and you were gone. I went downstairs and Rosalie said you had left to go hunting, so I took advantage of it and asked her if she could help me out."

"Sneaky little human," I murmured slinking towards her.

"Sneaky little vampire," she said motioning towards the candles.

"That's how I roll," I giggled wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her softly.

Bella wrapped her arms around me and returned my kiss, lightly nipping at my bottom lips, begging for admittance. I lowered one arm around her and cradled her in my arms, keeping my lips planted firmly to hers; I brought her over to bed and lowered her and myself down onto the satin sheets. Bella moaned with pleasure as I felt her tongue run across my sharp teeth, bringing venom to my mouth.

Breaking the kiss I wrested my hand on her neck and looked into her darkened eyes. "I love you," I whispered into her ear before I sucked it between my lips and began to suckle on the lobe. Running a hand down her chest I thumbed her nipples through the lacy material on her bra. Releasing her ear I kissed down her jack slowly, leaving little red spots where I had nipped at her soft skin.

I stopped below her chin and ran my tongue lightly down the length of her throat, stopping at the hollow and pressing my tongue down. I could feel the pulse of her being at that very spot, and she sucked in a deep groan when I began flicking my tongue across it.

A moan escaped her lips as she wrapped an arm around my back and dug her fingers into my hair. I smiled at her eagerness and slowly ran a hand under her back to unhook her bra. Keeping my eyes on her darkened eyes I slowly pulled it off and tossed it to the side. My eyes still fixed on hers, I lowered mouth to her pert nipple, letting instinct guide my lips down. Bella sucked in a deep breath and threw her head back onto the pillow as I sucked her nipple between my teeth and rolled my tongue over the tip of it.

"Oh god," she moaned, tightening her grip on my hair and arching her back to mine. I kept my lips planted around her nipple, as I thumbed the other with my fingers softly. My other hand I ran down her waist, looping the hem of her panties under my thumbs and pulling them down low enough to run my fingers under them.

Bella's breaths became shorter and more erratic as I trailed a finger across her folds lightly, before dipping a finger in and pressing down on the small bundle of nerves. Bella clapped a hand to her face and began whispering my name repetitively, her words sounding like a chant. Her other hand she wound tighter in my hair and pulled me up to capture my lips. I held the one hand down at her need, fingering her clit slowly but firmly, the other hand though; I wrapped under neck and pulled her into a deep kiss.

Bella tried hard to kiss back, but I knew that she was quickly losing control of her senses. I released her mouth and looked deep into her eyes, quickening the pace of my fingers, bringing her closer to the edge. I felt her legs begin to tremble around my hand and slowed my fingers, pulling them back and pulling her away from orgasm with them. Bella moaned a piteous sound of frustration and looked at me with her dark hooded eyes.

"Not yet love," I whispered into her ear and moved down the bed into a kneeling position. Bella looked at me for a second before settling her head back onto the pillow and whimpering to the ceiling.

Running my hands down her sides, I pulled at the waistband of her thong, pulling it down as my fingernails pulled softly at her sensitive milky white skin. Bella sucked in a deep breath and moaned out my name. Pulling the thong all the way off I threw it to the side to join her bra. Starting at her knee I began trailing kisses down her leg to her center. Reaching it I kissed is softly before I started up her other leg. I stopped at the scar she had received during the fight with James and kissed it softly before I shifter and settled down between her legs.

I pressed my lips against her moist folds and breathed in her smell deeply. Running my tongue up her length I rested it on the edge of her clit and began to slowly circle it. I could feel Bella's stomach muscles contorting under the splayed finger of the hand I wrested there. My other hand I pushed under her, pulling her closer to my tongue. Bella thighs pressed against the side of my head, and I felt the familiar feeling of one of her hands snaking through my hair and grabbing hold of it tightly. Her other hand grabbed the blanket next her and tightened her grip around it.

I pressed my tongue deeper into her and began licking it harder and faster, till Bella's hips bucked around me. I nipped and sucked at her clit, making the skin around it red and swollen from contact. I could feel Bella begin to tremble beneath me, and I had to force myself to tear my tongue away from her. Keeping one finger working on her clit, I pulled my body up till I caught her eyes with my own.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Do you love me?"

"Oh god yes."

"I love you," I said mashing my lips against hers before I tore my body away and stepped over the side of the bed. I went around the end of it and pulled out the hidden shopping bag from beneath it. Keeping her eyes locked to me, I quickly prepared myself and sunk back on the bed in a kneeling position above her.

"Oh god I love you," she said as I slowly pressed the tip of the strap-on into her tight slit.

I kept my eyes fixed on hers and I pressed gently deeper into her, till I could feel her legs against my own. Bella's breathing became more labored as I pulled away softly and began to push back again. Bella's hands snaked up my arms and wrapped themselves around my back, her nails dug into my back, under normal circumstances I'm sure it would of only tickled slightly. But not right now, no it was as if Bella and I shared the same body and feelings as we both rocked to the rhythm my hips had set for us. I felt everything magnifies by a thousand. Belle's nails dug deep into my back, and legs made strong from riding her motorcycle wrapped around my waist, hooking behind my ass and pulling me deeper inside of her.

One of her hands ran up my back and ran itself through my hair, pulling me down into a deep desperate kiss. I pressed my tongue deep into her mouth, running it along the teeth that would soon be just as sharp as my own. As if reading my thoughts Bella began to moan my name out louder, pulling my ear to her lips.

"Oh god, I'm about to cumm," she groaned.

"Do it baby," I growled quickening the frantic motion of my hips. "Come one baby."

"Oh god!" She yelled as I felt her body begin to stiffen beneath me. I quickly looped my arms under her and brought her body up to me. Pressing my lips to her cleavage and kissing it softly. When I felt Bella's body began to shake into a powerful orgasm I opened my mouth and bit down into the spot where I had just kissed. Bella screamed my name out and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling my teeth deeper into her chest.

Bella's blood exploded into my mouth and I could feel her heart beat thunderously beneath my teeth. "I love you," she repeated again and again as her blood flowed down the back of my throat, washing away the burning feeling I continuously felt in her presence. Her blood was heaven; I knew that if I could have, I would have spent eternity drinking her.

But no, I wanted to spend eternity with her. I felt the cold venom rise up my throat and blew out, sending the venom coursing through her veins to the heart below my teeth. Beneath me Bella shook as the last of her orgasm flowed over her. She gave a small jerk as the venom began to work through her system, burning her from the inside out as it coursed through her.

Pulling myself off of her I lay down on her side and pulled her into my arms defensively. Reaching to the side I pulled the blanked over us and began stroking her cheek as her eyes began to lose focus.

"I love you so much," I whispered looking deep into her eyes.

"I love you too," she weakly replied.

"Shh Bella, don't speak, just let go, when it's over we'll be together forever love. And baby if it hurt's scream. Scream and yell as load and as long as you need to. It won't do you any good physically, but if it's what you need to do then do it. Don't hold back for me."

"I love you," Bella grunted out before her eyes slammed shut and her body began to shake next to mine.

I held on to her all night as her body shook and tightened in pain. Around five a.m. her body contorted in pain and she began to scream in agony. She screamed for two days straight and I never left her side once, despite my family's suggestions.

At the end of the two days, Bella stopped screaming and slowly opened her eyes. They were deep red, like two suns captured and put in place of gorgeous chocolate human eyes. Bella focused her vision on me and pulled me down into the most deep, passionate kiss the world had or would ever know.

"I love you," I whispered into her ear.

"For eternity," she asked wrapping her arms around me.

"For eternity."


	25. Chapter 25

Victoria's POV

"Bring the ones connected to the Cullens in Samuel," I murmured, not bothering to look up from the paper's scattered before me.

"One of them is rather…tempestuous."

Frowning I raised my gaze to look towards him, "Then have some of the newborns help you."

"Yes of coarse," he said turning back out the door. As it swung back Amelia came into the room.

"So, how did it go? Did you get them?" I asked giving her my full attention.

"Yes, they were in fact very eager to help. They will be arriving at the end of this month."

"Excellent!" I exclaimed pouring back over the maps. "I have another assignment for you now. I have found with the help of my new partner," and at that I motioned towards the temporarily vacant chair, "another group of the rogues."

"Where are they?" Amelia asked standing next to me and letting her hand rest on mine.

I smiled to myself for the contact; Amelia was by far my favorite lieutenant. "You will find them in Romania; they have apparently been holed up there for quite some time. However, my friend tells me they might not be as eager to help us, but still try and persuade them within the best of your ability."

"When should I leave?"

"The sooner the better. But please you look famished, go have a bite first."

"I think I shall," she said nipping at my shoulder seductively.

"Ah no not right now. I'm sorry but I am waiting for a very important phone call."

"Ah well," she said disappointedly. "I suppose I will go get some real sustenance then," And with this she turned and walked towards the door, her ass swaying as she walked.

I chuckled to myself and sat down in the seat to return my attention to the maps of the world. I was looking for a many things and I had not a whole lot of time to find them. My partner had given me a list, stolen from the Volturi's own ancient library, of magical creatures that I could easily persuade to join us. Amelia was the deciding factor in the end. She had a very unique ability, one that I don't think has ever been seen, or understood fully. My little pet was able to persuade people to causes. And not just people, she had a knack and understanding of all the world's creatures. The good, the bad, and the most deadly. In the last two weeks since we had started our campaign here, her power had become invaluable; we had already amassed an army of equitable size, and I knew that over the next month it would more than double.

I have never been able to see the big picture in my life, and that I admit as a flaw. In truth I started this entire process as nothing more than a way to avenge my dead lover. But my new partner had opened my eyes; this was bigger than me…certainly bigger than James. There were new changes to be had in our world, and I with the help of my friend, would usher them in and sit at the throne after the smoke had cleared. And the best part was, no one would see it coming until it happened, their would be the event that would set it all into motion, but even then no one will link it to me.

My mind cleared from my internal monologue when I heard the scuffle of feet behind the door. With a great heave it burst open and Samuel entered, dragging with the help of two newborns, a male vampire who was putting up quite a fight. Behind them another female vampire was brought in as well, flanked by two more newborns.

"So, you are the two nomads I have been looking for."

"What is the meaning of this?" The male yelled lunging forward in his captor's grasps.

"Calm down," I murmured, motioning for Samuel to direct them towards some seats.

"Peter and Charlotte it is correct?" The male jerked his head in a nodded yes. "It is very nice to meet you two, I am very sorry for the force that was used, but I needed to speak to you immediately."

"What could be so important that you would round us up like animals? And why do you only wish to speak to us when you have also captured a half dozen other American nomads?" Peter demanded.

"I wanted to speak to you first about this campaign. There will very soon be a change in power in the magical world. No longer will we hide in the shadows, silently stalking our prey. The golden age of our kind is near my friends."

"You're planning on taking on the Volturi? Are you mad women?"

"Quite, but that is not the point. Yes the Volturi's power will soon be taken, but that is not the real problem. Afterwards there will be a power struggle I am sure, and I am…taking applicants for the side that will win."

"How can you be sure you will win?"

"Let's just say I have some very powerful friends. As do you, which is why I was so eager to talk to you two first."

"I am quite sure I have no ideal who you are talking about."

"Ah your old friend Maria tells me you have a close relationship with the Cullens."

At this a look of understand washed over the pairs face and a deep growl emitted from Peter. "Yes I am close to Jasper, but what does this have to do with him."

"I'm afraid that they will be a nuisance when all is said and done. I wish to know where your loyalties lay in the situation at hand. I am positive that just as I have amassed a group of allies, they will too when push comes to shove, and I cannot live in fear that you will join their ranks."

"I will not fight against them, and I will not fight for you mad woman."

"And that is both of your answers?" I asked turning towards the girl.

"It is," she said quietly.

"That is a shame then. Samuel," I said turning my attention to him. "Take our guests and lock them up somewhere safe out of the way until they come to a better decision."

"You cannot imprison us!" Peter yelled furiously.

"No…I'm sorry stupid boy, I can, and I am." And with that Samuel and the newborns dragged them out of the room to one of the lower floors to be caged. Thirst, I've discovered, is an effective tool when trying to force a vampire's hand.

Turning towards the papers, I made to return my attention to them when my phone began to ring. Looking at the caller i.d. I smiled widely.

"Hello my friend."

"Hello Victoria, how are things on your end?"

"They are going marvelously."

"That is pleasing to hear. I do believe that I am going to have to move our plans forwards a tiny bit."

"How come," I asked now slightly worried.

"Well you see I find myself in a predicament. I am currently seated upon Aro's body with the help of my allies, he was starting to suspect something I suppose and decided to have a peak around my head."

"I see," I said clicking my tongue in irritation.

"Oh now don't be like that," she said gleefully. "This will not derail our plans in the least. They must only be changed a bit. I will take care of him and the rest of the guard ahead of time and take the other allies to meet there with you quietly. I already know that no one will link it together."

"You are sure?"

"Of course I am sure. Just be ready for me and my group in the next few days. Oh and Victoria," she asked as I heard the sound of granite breaking close to the phone.

"Yes," I said rubbing my temple.

"Do calm down, have I led you wrong yet?"

"No you haven't," I chuckled to myself. "I am sorry for doubting you."

"I will see you soon."

And with that the line went dead. Blowing out an exasperated breath I called Samuel to the room. He arrived at the door seconds later. "Jane will be arriving at the end of the week with her allies. Please ready some living areas for them."

"Yes ma'am," he said bowing out of the room.

Edward's POV

Turning up the drive I was rewarded with the view of everyone's vehicles sitting the driveway. I was not really surprised; I figured the family would come back to Forks now that Bella was gone. I was very happy to see Alice's car sitting along with them. I knew she would not have left it, so that meant she had not followed Bella to Europe.

Getting out of the car I listened quietly to my mind's eye. The house was silent. They must all be out hunting I thought to myself and started to walk towards the front porch. I stopped in my tracks when the wind changed and I was hit with the smell of my family. They were to close to be hunting…they had to be in the house. But why couldn't I hear them?

Putting my hand on the door I gently made to push it open, but it swung out to me instead. Carlisle stepped out onto the porch followed by Esme, Emmett, and Jasper. Stepping back I looked at them all warily. I was confused and the confusion made me angry. They were standing here right in front of me, but I could not hear a thing in their heads at all. I could hear a random stranger drive his truck down the road a mile away, but I couldn't hear them.

"Edward…we heard you drive up."

"Why can't I hear your thoughts," I asked bluntly.

"Son, I think it would be best to sit down for a second. We did not know you were coming." Carlisle said motioning towards a porch chair. I stood firmly.

"Well I was going slowly, but I thought for sure Alice would have seen me coming…why can't I hear your thoughts," I demanded again.

"What is going on?" Rose asked stepping out of the house. When she did I picked up on a scent that I had missed when I had been preoccupied with my inability to hear them.

Roaring furiously I pushed past them and flew up the stairs towards Alice's room, taking five at a time. Bursting through the door I flung myself towards Alice, who stood in front on the mirror examining a shirt. She looked at me in shock and I closed my fist around her throat and slammed her into the mirror, turning it into a fine dust from the force.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" I bellowed in anger.

Before Alice could respond I felt a sharp pain in my back as I was ripped away from her and flung across the room, shattering the window and falling three stories. Slamming my fist into the ground I sprung back up and grabbed onto the window ledge pulling myself in.

Looking up I expected to see Emmett or Jasper from the way I had been thrown. But no…who I saw stopped me in my tracks.

Bella stood before seething in anger, her eyes gold tinged with only the slightest bit of blood red left to the outer rim of them. She stood in front of Alice protectively, her body shaking in fury. She was utterly breath taking.

"Oh god," I moaned falling to my knees. "Why Bella…what have you done."

"Get off the floor you pathetic asshole!" She screamed reaching forwards and dragging me up by my color. Turning around she slammed me into the wall, holding me up a couple of inches off the ground till we were eye level. "I have made my own decision Edward! I love Alice and I decided to spend eternity with her." She spewed out her words venomously and I couldn't help but flinch. Even furious her voice sounded rich and amazing.

My mind was a jumble of confusion and emotion. I couldn't think. My Bella. She was a vampire now. She was damned to all eternity.

"What about me," I choked out.

Bella's eyes softened and she sat me down on the floor, but kept a steel lock on my collar still. "I'm sorry Edward you left. I tried to love you, I tried to be sorry you were gone, but all I could be was mad. Mad that you had taken Alice. I love her."

"But I left to protect you from this."

"This was never your choice."

"And now?"

"What now," she asked severely.

"We could be together," I mumbled out desperately.

Over Bella's shoulder I heard Alice give a sharp pained breath. The look on her face told me, without needing to hear her thoughts that she feared Bella's answer.

"No Edward." She said simply. Releasing my shirt she put her hand to her temple and rubbed it slightly. "I'm going to make you understand."

Backing up she took Alice's hand and I squeezed it softly. Suddenly I was hit with everyone's thoughts again like a brick wall. Behind the door I could hear the rest of my family waiting to come to Alice and Bella's aid if need be. Pushing them to the side I found Alice in my head. The love she felt for Bella had not changed in the least since the day we met her and I was not surprised. I saw everything there, her watching Bella silently for all those months, her saving Bella from the frigid waters that Bella had jumped into to, and finally Alice changing Bella. It was all too much. I could see all my mistakes flying past my eyes in Technicolor through Alice's memories.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed I put my hand into head and moaned into them. Suddenly it felt as if a rubber band was being stretched tightly around my head, whipping my eyes up I met Bella who kneeled before me, staring intently into my eyes. I felt the rubber band snap and I fell back onto the bed as I was bombarded with all the things in Bella's mind.

"Bella…I can hear you."

"I know," she said quietly. "Then listen."

"Oh god," I moaned as Bella's memories started playing for me. She had loved me. But now I could see she had never loved me like she had loved Alice. From the first day she had wanted her. She had said her name first to begin with. "It's too much," I groaned in emotional agony. I could feel her pain when she realized that I had left her. But the agony she felt when she realized Alice was gone was too much to bear. I saw those months she had been catatonic through her eyes. I was forced under the water with her as she tried desperately to hear Alice in her mind. "Please no more," I cried. And then we were saved by Alice and brought here.

Forcing myself up I gasped for unneeded air. I knew then that all I had ever done was foolish and pointless. Bella wanted to be changed before she knew what that meant. And she had wanted Alice before she even knew her.

I felt Bella's hand reach forwards and rest softly in my hair. As she petted I felt the pinching feeling again and then Bella's thoughts retracted from my mind. "I'm sorry," she murmured softly.

"I know," I said standing up and looking out the smashed window. Sighing I turned towards her. "I'm sorry for all I have done."

"I know," Bella replied softly.

I shifted my glaze towards Alice and ran my hand through my hair. "I'm very sorry Alice."

"I am too," she said softly, stepping forwards she laced her hand through Bella's. "Are you going to leave?" She asked, worry evident in my voice.

I sighed at the question. "Not for good…I just need to go and think. Please tell Carlisle I will be back in a few hours."

"Of course," Alice said.

Turning away from them I jumped swiftly through the window and hit the ground running. I ran aimlessly for more than a few miles before I realized I was closing in on the border with the Quileute reservation. Searching through the memories I had received from Alice I gathered that they had reworked the treaty to allow us on in times of need. I don't know if this counted as a time of need, but I wanted to see the cliff where Bella had jumped. I needed to think.

I found it with ease thankfully and ran to the top of it. Roaring in pent up frustration I slammed my fist against the side of the cliff face, sending rocks flying through the air to the water below. I was not angry at Bella. I couldn't even force myself to be angry at Alice. I was furious with myself. I sat their for an hour thinking about all the decision I had made. Trying to find the one point where I could have reacted differently. Now that Bella was what I had so desperately wish she would never become, I found myself distraught to discover it was exactly what I had needed. I had let my own eternity pass me by.

The sound of running brought me out of my reverie and I could hear the sound of Jacob Black phasing behind me.

"Oh…it's you," he muttered walking slowly towards me.

"I'm sorry," I said standing up and rubbing my eyes. "I needed to see this place."

"Yah I figured," the fake anger tried to no avail to cover up the understanding in his voice.

"You loved her too?" I asked simply.

"Bella had that affect on people."

"That she does," I chuckled.

"Did you find what you needed here?"

"No…I don't think I ever will."

We stood in silence for a few minutes, both of us lost in our own thoughts before Jacob broke it. "So what do you plan to do now?"

"I'm not sure. I guess try to get by the best I can. I know that I'm staying here for a while. I'm tired of wandering."

"You don't suppose that will be slightly awkward? What with Bella and

Alice wandering around like they are on the Love Boat?"

I couldn't help but to chuckle at the quip. "I suppose it will be, but I guess I will have to learn to live with this. I do have eternity ahead of me after all."

"Are you heading back to the house right now?"

"I was planning on it. Why?"

"I need to go over and talk to Dr. Cullen about Aniella. We are trying to discover more about her kind."

"Well in that case let's go dog."

"Hey leech I'll race you there if we're gonna be like that."

"You're on," I said, welcoming the distraction from my own mind. And with that we took off towards the house racing.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Ok I love this chapter. I didn't ever like Bella until she became a vampire actually. I feel I should say that this story is far from over no matter how it may seem. Oh and yah MAJOR LEMON WARNING. Be prepared, the end of the chapter goes all butt wild crazy! Props go to my awesome beta Jane Humen for taking pity on me and correcting my gross spelling errors. You should look her up! I heart her story Perfect Match.

Disclaimer: Surprise surprise I don't own Twilight. Who would have thunk it?

Bella's POV

I stared silently at the spot where Edward had just stood, deep in thought about what had just happened. I had woken up less than an hour ago and I was extremely overwhelmed, to say the least.

When I had awakened, Alice had been there to comfort me, but when I had tried to sit up I was overtaken with an intense feeling of discomfort in my stomach. Hunger pains, Alice had cooed in my ear as I leant over the sink seconds later, letting cool water drip on the back of my neck.

It was all so much to deal with so suddenly. I could smell everything within ten miles, all at the same time. I had to force myself to stop breathing in the unneeded air that was overloading my nose. My vision was even worse, though. I could see everything so clearly it didn't seem real. Colors I did not know existed danced before my eyes in what seemed to be a choreographed dance.

The water Alice dripped down my neck felt unbelievable. I could feel it dip down into every one of my pores one by one. I felt it stream down my back long after it would have been visible to the human eye. When Alice rested her hand on my forehead it felt like fire on my overly sensitive skin. Twisting my body around, I caught her lips between my own and pulled her body against mine, pressing her back against the wall.

The growl coming from Alice's throat filled my ears like it had been broadcast over a loud speaker system. I attempted to growl back, and was surprised by the power behind it. Pulling away from her I put my hand to my neck, feeling the vibrations that still resonated there. Now that I focused my mind on, it I realized my throat was burning with hunger.

Looking towards Alice I tried to vocalize the pain, but all I could do was stand there pointing desperately at my throat. I began to panic now; I couldn't speak because of the scorching burn.

I felt it all over my body, from the top of my head to the souls of my feet, it felt as if the fire in my throat was magma, seeping through my veins. My senses were so strong that I could taste the minute amount of my blood left in Alice's body from kissing her.

I forced myself away from her and pressed my back flat against the wall, my chest heaving uncontrollably now. I was beyond panic, I was officially freaking out.

"Bella," Alice said firmly, walking towards me slowly with her palms raised up. Despite her stature I saw no fear or worry in her eyes, only love and understanding. Oh God her eyes. I now realized my human site had done her absolutely no justice. Alice was beyond beautiful. She was a stunning goddess sat down in front of me.

She moved languishingly slow until she stood inches in front of me, her eyes trained on my own. She gently laid her hand on my shoulder, and I felt the fiery feeling drain out of my body in an instant upon contact.

"Its ok love," she whispered leaning forwards and kissing me softly on the throat. I cooed into the feeling of her lips on mine and forgot my thirst completely. "We need to go hunting Bella, and then you will feel a lot better. I promise." She said firmly, reassuring me by slowly running her hand up and down my side.

I simply nodded and let her lead me through the window and deep into the woods. Once there I let my natural instincts take over and before I knew it I had made quick work on three deer and a mountain lion. Alice had stood back during the whole experience, letting me figure things out on my own.

Finally when I felt full I lazily lay back in the soft grass, laying my head on Alice's lap and letting her play with my hair. "How do you feel now?" She asked softly, wrapping my hair around her finger playfully.

I lay there for a second thinking about the question. I knew I was still more than a little overwhelmed by the entire experience. It was like all my senses had been magnified a thousand times over, and I was struggling to not feel them all at once. "I love you." I said, hoping that would be good enough.

Alice's features exploded and she pulled both of us up from the ground. "Let's go home." She purred into my ear. "I want to see how much you love me."

"Oh God," I replied and let her pull me into her arms to race back to the house.

We entered the same way we had left, through her window and began half-hazardly stripping off our clothing piece by piece. Alice locked her lips against mine and pushed be backwards through her bathroom door and into the shower, which she managed to turn on and adjust to the proper temperature without taking her lips off of mine.

"Impressive," I giggled into her lips.

"You haven't seen anything yet," she murmured wickedly.

I shivered with anticipation at the thought of how it would feel to make love to Alice now. Before it had been mind blowing, but I had always known she was restraining herself. Keeping the best parts away for my own safety. I was never worried she would bite me, just give such an orgasm I would have a brain aneurysm, or something equally unpleasant.

"I'm going to go get the room ready and see if I can get any visions."

At that I looked at her, feeling more than slightly confused. "Why are you trying to get a vision?"

"I have been catching glimmers of Rose and Emmett trying to 'accidentally' catch us in the act."

"Oh god," I moaned for the first time not feeling my face blush furiously. "I can understand Emmett…he's a perv…but why the hell does Rose wanna see it?"

"Beats me. I'm sure it has something to do with horribly embarrassing us for the rest of eternity."

"Probably," I laughed.

"Anyway, try and relax baby," she said slipping out of the shower.

"Ok," I murmured as she walked out the door. I know why she had asked me to relax. It was painfully obvious that my shield ability was completely out of my own control. Somewhere in all the chatter I had heard since waking up, I had caught Carlisle and Jasper talking about the low jack I had put on everyone's abilities.

I let the hot water pour over my body for what felt like an hour. Washing away the blood that was still dried on to my skin from my kills and where Alice had changed me. I couldn't help but smile gleefully when I ran my fingers over the silvery scar right at the top of my cleavage. It was Alice's mark. It said that her venom flowed through my veins.

I was so completely entranced in my own world, and the sensation of the steamy shower that I did not smell nor hear Edward coming up the stairs. In retrospect I guess that means that I will be able to get control of my senses if I can just focus my concentration like I had been currently focusing on the aforementioned shower.

The sound of Edward's furious voice snapped me back to reality and I was out of the shower and in the room in a second, haphazardly pulling a silken robe over my body. My vision very nearly went red with anger and I flew across the room, digging my hand deep into his back I pulled him away from Alice with such force I could see a small matrix-like ripple around him as I hurled him out the window.

I nearly sobbed when I turned around and saw the distressed look on Alice's face. Her normally graceful features were marred with fear and worry as she looked from the shattered window to me. The look on her face confused me and scared me. I would have expected anger or shock. But she was looking like someone had just killed her puppy.

"Are you ok?" I started to ask before I heard Edward climbing back through the window behind me. Forcing myself to look away from her I spun in the air, letting my natural instincts take over and guide me into a possessive and protective stance. If Edward wanted to fight, he was about to bite off more than he could chew.

Edward's furious growl was cut off as his eyes met my own and he fell to the floor with a loud thud and began moaning in emotional agony. I knew why he was upset, but right now even Jasper could not have made me sorry.

"Get off the floor you pathetic asshole!" I raged in fury at him. I grabbed him by the collar before he could move and slammed him furiously into the wall, cracking the plaster and sending small flecks of wall flying around his head in a flurry of white dust and purple paint. "I have made my own decision Edward! I love Alice and I decided to spend eternity with her." He flinched at the anger in my voice and with my senses so heightened I could feel my family do the same behind the door.

"What about me," he sobbed out. Behind me I could feel Alice tremble with fear. I suddenly wanted to be beside her, to kiss away whatever demonic emotion was troubling her.

Setting Edward down slowly I kept my eyes locked on him and maintained a strong grasp on his collar in case he couldn't accept what I knew I needed to tell him.

"I'm sorry Edward you left. I tried to love you, I tried to be sorry you were gone, but all I could be was mad. Mad that you had taken Alice. I love her."

"But I left to protect you from this."

"This was never your choice."

"And now?"

"What now," I asked, dreading his line of questioning. I knew where it was going.

"We could be together," he mumbled out. His gold eyes filled with a look of despair I had never seen in them.

Behind me I heard Alice suck in a sharp pained breath. I didn't need to be an empath to know she was afraid of my answer. I understood now what had caused so much fear in her eyes. I thought back to the hotel in Phoenix, the fight we had gotten into. The fight where I had stupidly begged Alice to change me, and worded it so badly.

Of course she was afraid. She thought now that Edward was back and I was a brand new vampire I would go back to him. My mortality was the reason we weren't together. And now that wasn't a problem.

"No Edward," I whispered releasing him from my grip. "I'm going to make you understand." Backing away from him I took Alice's hand in my own and gave it a gentle reassuring squeeze.

I knew what I had to do then. As I prepared myself mentally a quote from a book I had once read ran through my head. The person in the book was speaking about the gay community in New York pre-stonewall...but I think it actually fit quite perfectly into the world I was now a part of. 'This is a small world. This circle of people stays pretty much the same. Whatever you do now, make sure you can live with it the rest of your life.'

Sighing heavily at the pained expression on his face, I forced my mental shield back into my head. Edward's face twisted in agony and his eyes went wide with shock as he stumbled backwards, his knees against the bed. He choked out a sob and looked at Alice. She stared back at him. I knew she was showing him things from when he had left and she had come back.

Edward put his head in his hands and sat down on the bed. Squeezing Alice's hand again I walked over to him and kneeled in front of him. Concentrating as hard as I could I pulled the last layer of my mental barrier back and let him into my head.

His eyes snapped up towards me in wonder and then he fell to his side on the bed. "Bella…I can hear you." He whispered.

"I know," I whispered back. "Then listen."

"Oh god," he moaned as I sent him my feelings the best way I could. I showed him the love I had for him first. I had loved Edward. But then I showed him Alice. I went back to the very first time we had seen eachother. I had loved her first and the most. "It's too much," he groaned. I was almost done, but I knew I had to do this all the way. He had to understand. I began playing over how I had felt when they had left, when I realized I had lost Alice. I forced him to see the months I had faded away to nothing more than a ghost of my former self. Then I jumped off that cliff again in my head, dragging Edward down with me, showing him my secret reason behind it. "Please no more," he sobbed. I pulled back out the memory to Alice saving me. It had always been Alice who was my savior. Not him.

Putting back up my wall I leant back as Edward sat up and rested his face in the palms of his hands, his whole body still reeling from the shared experience. Reaching forwards I ran my hand through his soft reddish brown hair.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

"I know," he whispered. Looking up at me he smiled feebly then faltered from the effort. "I'm sorry for all I have done," he whispered.

"I know," I returned.

Running his hand heavily through his hair he looked over my shoulder towards Alice. "I'm very sorry Alice."

"I am too," she said softly. Stepping towards us she laced her hand in my own and leant against my shoulder, her whole body was still shaking I noticed. "Are you going to leave?" She asked worried.

"Not for good…I just need to go and think. Please tell Carlisle I will be back in a few hours."

"Of course," Alice said. And with that Edward disappeared through the shattered window, taking with him the tenseness from the room.

I stared at the spot before I turned to Alice and ran my hands against her cheeks softly. "I love you," I said firmly looking straight into her eyes.

"I know you do," she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion.

Pulling her close to me I hugged her tightly, her head wrested against the crook of my neck and her arms encircled me, hugging me back just as tight. "I love you so much," she said into my neck.

Pulling my head back I leant down and kissed her softly on the lips. She leant into the kiss and moaned, her emotional anxiety spilling out with the moan. I ended the kiss and looked into her eyes. Running a hand under her I lifted her easily off the ground and walked to the side of the bed. Laying her down in the middle I crawled in and lay next to her.

"I love you," I repeated tracing my fingers over her jaw line and down her neck. "I love you Alice Cullen…and I intend to spend every minute for the rest of eternity showing you that."

Alice purred with pleasure as I let my fingers run down her body slowly. When we had come back to the house I had planned on wild intense love making. But no, god no, not after what had just happened. I had all of eternity to have wild sex with Alice Cullen. Right now I wanted it to be long, soft, and slow; with each kiss and caress showing her how I felt about her.

Pushing myself up on my elbow I leant in and kissed her lightly on the lips. Alice kissed back just as soft and I ran a hand down her side to the small of her back. Alice leant against me and laid a leg between my own. We swayed gently back and forward as we deepened the kiss, neither of us were in a hurry. Alice sighed softly as I ran my tongue across her lower lip asking for entrance. I pressed my tongue into her mouth and ran it softly across her teeth. I still loved the feeling of them against my tongue, even more now that I had her venom running through my veins.

Alice's hand ran up my back and she began to wind her fingers through my hair as I pulled her bottom lip into my mouth and began to nip at the tender flesh. I had worried that love making would feel different…bad after I had been changed. And it did, but not in a bad way at all. I could feel each of my hairs pull at the roots slightly against my scalp. I moaned as I let go of my senses and let my love for Alice take control.

Pressing down on her softly I lay over her, one leg laying lazily over her body as I stroked my fingers up and down her side. Releasing her lips I began nipping and biting at the beautiful flesh under jaw, I kissed slowly up her neck and drew her bud into my mouth. Alice trembled as I blew softly into the ear and pulled on it with my teeth.

Pushing my hair back I lowered my mouth and began to lick at the soft skin above her shirt line, while I traced little circles onto the bare flesh of her stomach under her shirt. Alice gasped and moaned at the feel of my tongue against her and pulled my mouth back up towards her own.

I pulled myself up and straddled a leg across hers, staring down into her blackened eyes. "I love you," I whispered again as I ran a hand up her shirt and began to thumb lightly at one of her pert nipples. Pushing her had back with my other hand I began to suck harder at the hollow of her neck as she ran a hand up my leg and cupped my ass softly in her hand. My hips began to rock against hers at the center of our cores and I felt myself being drawn into the motion.

I dipped my body against hers and then rose up, pulling her with me into a kneeling position. I ran my hands up Alice's side and tugged the shirt over her head softly. Alice moaned warmly as I leant down and wrapped my lips around her nipple softly. I sucked it into my mouth and released it a few times, letting the cool air coming through the broken window run over it. I circled my tongue around it, licking it softly and then harder as her moans became more pronounced. I felt her hands roaming over my back and crossing her legs behind my own.

Alice reached between and slid the off robe easily, scratching her nails softly down my back. The thought flitted through my subconscious that though it felt soft, a month ago that would have severely shredded my back.

I growled with pleasure when I felt Alice's small fingers wrap around one of my own nipples and tug at it nimbly. Running my hand up her leg I wrapped my fingers under the hem of her skirt and ripped it away from her body.

Alice growled playfully at me and pulled my head back up, catching my lips with her own. We fought for dominance in the kiss and I won. Pressing her back down against the bed I let my fingers softly run against her core above her panties. Lining out her lips and pressing down gently where I knew her clit was.

My mouth began to water at the thought of how she would taste and I couldn't hold back any longer. Seeing the look in my eyes as I gazed lustfully over her body, Alice reached down and ripped off her own panties and sent them flying across the room.

I chuckled throatily and shifted till I was kneeling between her legs. Alice pushed herself up onto her elbows and stared at me with her blackened eyes. "I love you," she said softly, holding my gaze as I ran a hand down the length of her leg.

I sat my hand down on her center and groaned from the intense heat coming from her. Running my hand up her abdomen I lowered myself between her legs and pressed my lips against her clit. Alice moaned with pleasure and I felt her lay back down onto the bed as she laced one hand through my own, and the other through my hair.

"Ooh…ooh my god," Alice whimpered as I pressed my tongue between her legs and ran it up her wet slit. I ran my tongue slowly up and down it, each time dipping down deeper into her warmth. Each time my tongue ran across her clit, Alice's body involuntarily jerked in pleasure. I pushed her lips open slightly with my fingers, and blew softly on her hard clit. "Oh fuck," Alice moaned pulling slightly on my hair. Leaning down I ran my tongue against her clit in small circular motions, letting my teeth graze against the sensitive bundle of nerves slowly.

Alice hips began to rotate on an invisible piston as I sped up my tongue and began to flick it across her clit harder. My name began to spill out of her lips and her hands reached out to wrap themselves in anything to ground her. As I began to lick faster I ran a hand up her leg and dipped my finger just a little into her, moving it in circles as I slowly pushed it further inside of her.

Alice's leg muscles began to clench and I was instantly grateful for my new body as I finally felt the pressure against my head of her strong hips. It was what I had wanted to feel since I had met her. Alice writhing in pleasure from my touch, not having to hold back her lust, just letting herself go.

Alice's head fell to the side and I could hear the pillow case rip as her teeth bit down and through the silken material. Her hands shredded the silken sheet below us as she wrapped her hands around it and pulled.

I pushed another to two fingers inside of her and began to pump them in and out of her faster and faster as my tongue began circling her clit harder. I pushed my free hand under her ass and pulled her firmly against my mouth. Alice raised her head off the pillow and stared down at me. Her eyes blacker than the blackest of nights. Keeping my eyes fixed on hers I pushed as deep into her as I could go, simultaneously I took her clit into my mouth and bit down on it with enough pressure to make her scream in pleasure.

Alice body shot off of the mattress and her hands wrapped behind my head, pushing me hard against her shaking center as wave after wave of orgasm wracked her body. The sound of her shaking legs against the side of my head sounded like granite clashing against granite, and my name left her lips in such a scream I feared Charlie would hear it from town.

As orgasms wracked her body, I hit a plateau as well and growled, pressing my orgasm against her clit, making her body shake more from the vibration. The bed creaked beneath us and I heard wood splinter as the legs gave out from the earthquake like vibrations.

Alice's hips bucked against my face as I kept my grip on her clit and pressed my fingers hard inside of her, curling them upwards and putting pressure on her g-spot as my other hand pressed down hard on abdomen. Alice's body gave one final jerk and then she fell back against the mattress, gasping for unneeded breath.

Reaching down she pulled up her body, encircling me in her arms and legs, desperate to leave no space between our trembling bodies. We breathed hard against each other's necks, both of us digging our nails into each other's skin to keep from floating away.

"I love you's" spilled out of both of our mouths as we began to slowly come back down to reality. We lay in the same position for much of the next few hours, each of us content to just stare into each other's eyes.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Hey guys this chapter is pretty detailed but I love it. Since there are so many I put all the definitions at the end of the chapter if you guys are interested. Hope you guys enjoy where the story is going. Mucho love to my awesome beta Jane Humen! She rocks my horribly spelled world. On a VERY selfish note, PLEASE review this chapter with all you have! I'm VERY nervous about how it will be received!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. The credit goes to Stephenie Meyers.

Alice's POV

Bella and I lay in bed for hours after our love making. It had exhausted even us. As we lay in bed naked, clinging to each other as we whispered our thoughts, Bella's emotional level stemmed off and I could feel the heavy weight her shield placed on my vision become lighter and lighter until my ability was no longer blocked.

And as our shared lust cooled my exhaustion dulled senses returned as well. Below us our family shifted from one activity to another. Edward had returned an hour ago and disappeared into his bedroom, where he was currently rereading his old journals. I tried hard to keep him out of visions out of respect; just the same as I knew he was trying to keep from hearing my own thoughts.

Carlisle was in his office, along with Aniella, Jacob, and Seth Clearwater. They had been trying to learn as much as possible about Aniella's species since she had entered our lives. I believed it was more out of curiosity than anything. The only differences between her and the pack we could see were that she was not gigantic in human form like they were, and that she couldn't eat anything but freshly killed animals. She was actually an amazing hunter, like Emmett, and she enjoyed a great hunting friendship with him, both of them preferring bears.

The rest of my family was each catering to their own interests at the moment, everyone trying their best to stay out of each other's hair in a house that was quickly becoming crowded.

Bella and I were just discussing a future trip to Europe when Bella sat up in bed swiftly, a low growl emitted from her throat and she took in a deep breath of air.

"What?" I asked copying her action and not smelling anything out of the ordinary.

"Someone is coming. Other vampires," she said quickly sliding out of the bed and reaching for a pair of pants. "Can't you smell them?" She asked me expectantly as I was still sitting on the bed staring at her.

"Baby, we're not all newborn vampires."

"Oh…right," she said. At that moment she tried pulling on her left pant leg and lost her balance, falling to the ground with a loud thud, followed by a curse. Below us I could hear Emmett and Rosalie booming with laughter. In the room over I could even hear Edward chuckling.

"Oh my god," Bella muttered into her hands.

Scooting over I looked over the edge of the bed where she lay with her face in the palm of her hands. Trying my hardest to put on a straight face, I reached down and poked her. "Hey."

Sighing she removed her hands and crossed them on her chest. "I have got to be the world's only clumsy vampire…"

"But you're a cute clumsy vampire."

Bella rolled her eyes and pulled herself off the floor to sit on the edge of the bed, still trying to put on her pants. Closing my eyes, I concentrated hard, and finally managed to pick up the scent she had picked up. It took only a few seconds to place both scents, and I, too, was off the bed quickly.

"Carlisle!" I called out.

"I know," he replied.

"Who is it?" Bella asked grabbing a t-shirt and pulling it over her head.

"It's Sonam and Nicoló."

"Nicoló?" She asked curiously.

"He was the one who helped us in Phoenix when James was hunting you."

"Oh," she said slowly. "I barely remember him, why is he here with Sonam?"

"I have no idea," I replied, turned my doorknob, and nearly knocked Edward and Jasper over in the hall. "Do you guys –"

"Yes," Edward said awkwardly, shifting his gaze to flicker between the two of us. Clearing his throat, he motioned for us to go in front and lead the way down the stairs.

"Edward, can you hear anything?" Carlisle called up from the bottom of the stairs.

"No," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry," Bella murmured as the four of us stepped onto the landing with the rest of my family and the pack members. "I can't figure out how to turn it off, I can only turn it on, and -." She began to mumble incoherently.

"Its ok sweetheart," Esme said, resting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it lightly.

"Yes Bella, we all understand the situation. We shall find out soon enough what tidings our visitors bring," he said nodding towards the door as a gentle knocking fell upon it.

Carlisle ran his hand through his hair and opened the door, smiling widely at Nicoló and Sonam, who stood under a large black umbrella.

"Nicoló, Sonam, this is an unexpected visit."

"Yes Carlisle, I am very sorry for the abrupt nature of our visit, but I have some information that I must give to you and your family with haste." Nicoló said extending a hand, "Can we please come in, I'm afraid there is no time to wait."

Carlisle swept his eyes over the family and motioned us all into the living area, including Jacob, Aniella, and Seth. "Of course you can come in."

"I can assure you we mean no harm," Nicoló said, carefully wiping his shoes on the carpet just inside the doorway.

"Sonam I am rather surprised to see you," Carlisle said sweeping his eyes over the empty front lawn behind the pair.

"Don't worry, you'll find none of the Volturi out there." Sonam said darkly, hanging up his jacket, a look of hurt etched on his exotic face.

Carlisle noted the dark tone in Sonam's and clicked his tongue against his cheek. "Come into the living area, we can talk in there."

Sonam and Nicoló hurried into the living room and sat politely on the loveseat facing the rest of us. I suppose we looked rather impressive to them, because both Nicoló and Sonam stiffened when they fixed their attention to us.

"My Carlisle, you do have quite the impressive family here." Nicoló said setting down a large briefcase.

"Yes, of course let me introduce them. I believe you have met Alice and Bella?"

"Yes I have, and Bella I must say you make a very stunning vampire."

"Thanks," she murmured softly, I couldn't help but miss the reddening of her cheeks.

"Right and this is my mate Esme, my sons Edward, Jasper, and Emmett, and my other daughter Rosalie."

"Charmed to meet you all."

"And this is Jacob Black and Seth Clearwater. They are both from the Quileute reservation. And beside them is –"

"Aniella, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Nicoló, Sonam…what are you two doing here?"

"I was aware you know Sonam, but Nicoló?" Carlisle began.

"Yes I met Miss Aniella in passing a while back when I was going through some of the books in the Volturi library. Perhaps I had better start at the beginning, please, Carlisle, do sit down."

"Of course," Carlisle said sitting next to Esme and putting an arm around her. The rest of the family and I each ran our eyes around the room to each other before settling them on Nicoló and Sonam.

"Ah where to begin," Nicoló mused, resting his chin on his closed fist. "I met Miss Aniella as I said in Voltaire while I was going through the library there. Aro was more than happy to let me search through the books for some personal research of mine that is more of an obsession than a hobby."

"You don't mean Adero?" Carlisle mumbled incredulously.

"Yes, Carlisle, I do."

"Who is Adero?" Esme asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"An old story I believe," Carlisle said quietly.

"Oh, I can assure you, my old friend, that Adero is anything but an old story. She is the mother to us all." Beside me I could feel the rest of my family grow tense with curiosity, each of us instantly caught up in what Nicoló had to tell us.

"Perhaps you will tell us her tale then," Carlisle suggested to Nicolo in a strained voice.

"I would love to, and I believe I have to now, seeing as your family might tear me apart if I don't," Nicoló chuckled, before rising from his seat and pacing for a few seconds.

"The story of Adero is very ancient. As ancient as our species is, in fact. No one but Adero knows what created her, all we know is this: she was the first and only of her kind. She walked the earth alone for probably millions of years, alone-- with just animals as companions until she became bored with life and decided to end her own. But before she died, she wanted to create life from her own, to care for the animals, and the world who had been her companions for so long.

"So she called upon a number of creatures to fulfill this want. As the story goes she called a wolf to her and fed it one of her own fingers from her right hand, thus creating the true werewolves," he said nodding respectively towards Aniella. "Next she called a swan to her and fed a finger to it, from that swan came the Elves."

"Wait, hold up a second…Elves? You mean like Legolas? Lord of the Rings stuff?" Emmett said, bursting into laughter.

Nicoló stared at him with an amused look on his face and waited for the Emmett's laughter to subside. Emmett looked at Nicoló's face and noticed that despite the amusement he was serious about what he had just said. "So you're serious about this?"

"Yes, Emmett, I am."

"Carlisle?" Emmett said looking towards him for guidance, as the rest of us did the same.

"I have never met one, but I would be the last one to write off their existence. Our very livelihood lends to the evidence there are quite a number of mythical realities in existence."

"If you say so," Emmett muttered shaking his head and turning it back towards Nicoló.

"Now if I may continue?" Nicoló chuckled to himself.

"Go for it," Emmett murmured.

"Right, so Adero has created Werewolves and Elves now. Next she gave a finger to a horse and created the Centaurs." Emmett began to say something but Rose gave him a smack and he shut up, looking abashedly at Nicoló who simply raised an eyebrow in amusement and continued. "After the Centaurs she gave one to an Ape and created humans after her own liking. They were by far her favorite creation, and to a certain one she gave another finger, giving it magical abilities of its own. That human was the mother creature to all humans with magical abilities."

"Like us?" Jacob asked, his voice dripping with curiosity.

"Yes indeed, Mr. Black. You shape shifters as well as humans imbued with witchcraft. Now after those five species had been created she began on her second hand. The first finger from her left hand, she fed to a vampire bat, creating a species of animal whose real name has passed away into dust, lets call them the Un-named for posterity's sake I believe some of the names appropriate for it today are the Haetae in Korea, Emela-ntouka in Africa, or as it is called in this region the Chupacabra. Small, monstrous bloodsucking beasts, really very nasty.

"Now the next three creations, she used the earth for. The first she created by placing a finger on top of a large stone and smashing it with a large mallet. Her blood soaked into the stone and birthed the legendary Gargoyle. Adero took the dust created from the rock and mixed in water from a deep well, and another finger, creating a thick clay. From that she molded a few variations of the same species. That species as far as I know as died out. They were the monsters of old. Dragons, sea serpents, even unicorns, as I've come to understand it.

"The third earth creature and last creation she made was the worst. For it's creation, she took a finger and threw it down the dark well, a dark cloud erupted and demons rose out of the well."

"But that's only nine." Bella stated as more of a question. "What about her last finger?"

"Ah well this is where the story turns. Adero backed away and surveyed her work as she considered what her last creation would be now. As I mentioned her favorite creation were humans. They had special gifts that no other creature had and even we now take for granted. They did not have super strength, they had no special gifts, and even their life spans are so short they are almost inconsequential.

"But they are the consummate survivors out of all of us. They don't rely on any other creature for their livelihood, they can repopulate their species on their own, and their intelligence allows them to assert dominance over animals and eachother.

"Adero watched this and became jealous of her creation. Here she was bored with life, wanting to end it all, and these creatures sprung forth from her flesh had everything she had never known she wanted. In a fit of furious jealousy she flung herself upon one and bit down on its hand, drinking it blood as she tried to rip its finger off. The humans that she had bestowed so much intelligence on turned and pounced on her, driving her own finger deep into her heart and burying her deep below the ground. And from Adero herself ,we vampires passed into existence."

We all sat back in silence and thought about the story that Nicoló had just told. Each of us was caught up in it, and each of us was simultaneously wondering what it had to do with us, and why Sonam was here to share it with us. Carlisle, of course, gave a voice to our thoughts. "You tell the legend very nicely Nicoló, but I must ask why it has brought you and Sonam as well to Forks."

"Of course. Well as you know Carlisle I believe the story of Adero to be much more than a mere legend or tale. I believe it to be history."

"Still?"

"No offense my old friend, but not all of us have a family and career to keep us occupied." Nicoló chuckled. "I have been researching Adero for quite some time. That is why I was in Phoenix in fact when you called upon me to help Alice and Bella."

"Surely you don't think she's hiding out in Arizona?" Carlisle laughed.

"Of course not, no I was researching sightings of a Chupacabra in that region, as well as learning how to successfully maneuver around a sunny desert setting as I was planning a trip to Africa. Shortly afterwards Aro contacted me, giving me permission to research Adero using the Volturi library. There I met both Sonam and Aniella, and suggested to Aro that it would be a good ideal to take Miss Aniella here to your family. To thank me for that, Aro let me take Sonam with me for my trip to Africa as a traveling companion." Sonam sucked in a pained breath and turned his head away from the conversation looking out one of the great windows silently. Nicoló patted him on the knee and continued.

"We spent some time wandering around Northern Africa searching, when we began to get the feeling we were being followed…herded, really, towards Ethiopia. I was very excited because as the story goes, the only time Adero has even been encountered is when she herself led the discoverer to her."

"When was the last time she was seen?" Edward asked curiously. I could tell from the stony look on his face he was more than irritated that he could not yet read Nicoló's mind.

"A very good question Edward. The last time Adero revealed herself was over fifteen hundred years ago when the Volturi took magical control away from the Romanians. In fact any time that Adero has revealed herself has been at the start of something major. The rise of the fall of the ancient Aztecs, the rise of the Roman Empire, and the birth of Christianity are a few examples.

"Now as I said, we began to feel as if we were now being led to her, instead of looking for her. We had been in the Danakil depression in Ethiopia for two months when the mother revealed herself."

"Nicoló, you're not telling me that you found Adero."

"She found us," Sonam said quietly, his face still turned away from us.

"Yes, as Sonam says, Adero found us. Late one night as we were pouring over a map of the region, a young vampire boy named Zareb came to us and bid us follow him. Normally I would not have followed a strange vampire, but I was desperate for anything to happen at that point after all my years of searching.

"The boy led us to a deep hole in the ground and motioned for us to jump down after him. Again I would not have normally agreed to this request but I was desperate, so I followed, and Sonam came with me. When we landed in the bottom we were surrounded by a cave made entirely out of sparkling crystals, the light that shone off of them made dark and eerie shadows dance across everything. Zareb had disappeared completely.

"I was beginning to think we had been had when I saw someone move out of the shadows in front of us. At first glance I thought it was an old ancient man, but when it straightened up and withdrew the robes from its face I knew I was looking into the eyes of the mother.

"I was understandably beside myself with awe. I had so many questions to ask after all these years of course. How stupid I was."

"I take it she wasn't up for Q and A?" Carlisle asked seriously.

"No my friend she was not. The mother only reveals herself when she wants to, and even then only at times of immense change in this world. She dismissed my questions with a sweep of her hand before I could even ask my first one. Instead she merely waved her hand towards my bag and bed me remove the tape recorder I used to make notes on."

"What did she tell you?" Carlisle said, now joining the rest of us on the edge of our seats.

"She said she had a message…a prophecy for the 'Golden Eyed coven in the Northwest of the Great Empire".

"What was it?" Carlisle choked out uncharacteristically.

Nicoló's hand shook as he sat the small recorder down on the table and hit play. The vampires in the room held their unneeded breath as the pack members leant forwards with baited breath in anticipation of the prophecy of sorts that was to affect us all.

The voice that flowed out of the device was rich with color. The words flowed to their ears like music written just for their benefits. Adero's voice was strong, but it spoke of her ancient wisdom with the lilt of someone who had spent thousands of years speaking many dialects.

"On the first on Sextilis in the Northwest of the Great Empire, two suns will rise with the end of twilight. By the fall of light on that day, one sun, the victor, will lower to rise the next day, the other will be cast to the heavens forever. A new order will be set. One sun builds in ready at the now, amassing an army of creatures the world has cast out as wicked. The other sun is blind to the coming battle, should they open their eyes to the mounting battle they might still have time to engage their allies. There are those the world has put on the platform of good, those who have hidden themselves from man. To the frigid north and barren south, hidden in the great forest and deep in the cradle of life they will find them. A new world order is at hand, so it has been seen and so it will be. Go now Nicoló and let the ones who forsake our nature and live with humans hear my prophecy, before the one with fire for hair and the demon child rise alone."

As the tape ended a volley of questions broke out from all of us at once.

"What is the Sextilis?"

"Who are our allies?"

"Who is the one with fire for hair?"

"Who is the demon child?"

At this Nicoló waved a hand slowly attempting to quell all of our curious questions at once. "Please! I will explain as much as Sonam and I have been able to decipher of this message in the time we've had. But first I'm afraid we have very bad news."

"There's more?" Emmett cried out hoarsely.

"Aro is dead." Sonam choked out, turning his face back to us, obvious pain at the statement evident.

Aniella sobbed once and buried her head into Jacob's neck. I felt Bella's fingers tighten around my own and I sank back against her body as I remembered the vampire I had feared meeting so long ago. Esme held back her own sob and rested a hand on Carlisle's arm. "How did it happen?" Carlisle asked gingerly.

"He was murdered by Jane," Sonam muttered standing up in fury. "After our run in with Adero I tried to contact him and could not, so we returned to Voltaire. It was horrible. They were all dead…Aro, Caius, Marcus, even the wives. Most of the guard died with them. They were all burnt. I can only guess who survived."

"How do you know it was Jane?"

"I found a private message Aro had meant to send to me. Jane was foolish to think she could keep it from him. Aro had begun to suspect she was planning something and was trying to get a hand on her to know. My best guess is she was aided by Alec and Demetri. Probably Chelsea and Renata as well."

"They had to have had more help then just five vampires to take down the entire guard."

"They did."

"Who?"

"All the cages were empty."

"All of them?" Aniella choked out.

"Who was in the cages?" Jacob asked quickly.

"Quite a large number of prisoners. Mostly vampires who had broken the law, but had an ability that would have been of use to the Volturi." Sonam replied simply.

"There were other werewolves too, I could smell them," Aniella murmured.

"How many are we talking about Sonam?" Carlisle asked, worry evident in his usually cool voice.

"About fifteen other vampires and around ten werewolves."

"So Jane would be the demon child, but the one with fire for hair?" Emmett asked.

"Victoria…" Edward said suddenly, his eyes becoming large with realization.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle said looking at him curiously.

"I kept trying to find her and it led me to Mexico, if she was trying to build an army well…"

"If she was trying to build and army she would definitely do well to get some advice from Maria." Jasper finished, his eyes dark at the memory of his own past in Mexico.

"I believe you are right Edward," Sonam added. "After Victoria made the false claim against your family Aro ordered she be tracked down and brought in for punishment. Jane in particular was very interested in her."

"So we got the who. But what about the when? What the hell is Sextilis?" Emmett asked.

"Babe, do you ever pay attention to any of those college classes we take?" Rosalie asked rolling her eyes.

"Sorry Rose, but I'm confused too," Jacob said bracing himself for a hit.

Rosalie clicked her tongue in irritation and crossed her arms. "Sextilis is what the Roman's used to call August."

"Oh…" Emmett replied sheepishly.

"So what do we do?" Edward asked.

"Well it's very clear what Adero was saying."

"Sounds like a fight to me." Emmett said flexing his muscles and crossing his arms in front of him.

"Down honey," Rose said, smirking while she rubbed his bicep.

"No as…well simple as Emmett says that. It is definitely going to be a fight."

"I'm not sure if I'm ready to believe all of this Nicoló," Carlisle said cautiously. Besides me I felt Bella stiffen.

________________________________________________________________________

Bella's POV

"I have an idea," I said slowly.

"Yes Bella?"

"Nicoló you saw all of this yourself correct?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Then you would not object to Edward having a look inside your head to make sure it happened as you say?"

"Of course not."

"Can you ring it in?" Edward asked curiously.

"She can if she tries," Sonam said slowly.

"She can." Alice said looking at me reassuringly as she cupped my cheeks in her hand. Next to me Edward's throat cleared uncomfortably from the show of affection. Alice barely glanced at him as she looked deep in my eyes. "Just relax baby, it's just like when you get it started, all you have to do is concentrate on stopping it now."

"I'll try," I murmured looking deep into her golden eyes. I took a deep breath out of habit and felt Jasper rest a hand on my back.

"I'll try to help you stay calm when it comes down." He whispered reassuringly.

"Thanks," I whispered back. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried concentrating on the feelings I had had over the last few days while my shield had been down. It usually happened after Alice and I had made love when my mind and body was completely relaxed. I drew on those moments from my memory, wrapping myself up in Alice's arms. As my body began to loosen up I could feel Jasper's calming affect begin to tug on the edges of my feelings. Instead of turning away from the intruding emotion I leant into and let it wash over my body. In front of me I could feel Alice stiffen as a vision no doubt hit her mind.

I could feel my impenetrable bubble begin expanding over the rest of my family, but was unsure how I was doing till a painful grunt from Edward nearly knocked my concentration off. I hadn't met to let him into my mind like that, when I was concentrating on laying naked next to Alice, but I knew I didn't have the ability to spare him while simultaneously holding back my shield.

"Inner eye on Nicoló's mind," Alice snapped as she massaged my temples and rested a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Sorry," Edward choked out. After less than a second he cleared his throat. "He's telling the truth, Carlisle. About everything."

The room let out a collective pent up breath and my eyes fluttered back open in surprise as I felt my shield fly back up, as the breath turned to loud questions. "Everyone calm down please," Carlisle said holding up his hand calmly. "Alice I'd be correct if I said you had a vision while Bella's shield was down."

"Yes I did," Alice said, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth nervously. "It wasn't very clear, but I think they just added some allies to their side."

"Oh I'm sure they have, and then some." Nicoló said bluntly before turning to Carlisle. "I trust you believe me now."

"I don't think I have a choice," Carlisle mused into his fist, deep in thought.

"What do we need to do?" I asked my eyes going from Nicoló to Carlisle.

"We have to get our own allies so we stand a chance. And we only have a month to do that."

"Who do we get?" Jacob asked, voicing our thoughts.

"Well based on what Adero said I would guess that Jane and Victoria have already no doubt enlisted a lot of vampires, most if not all the werewolves left, the Un-named, the gargoyles, and the demons. I doubt there are any monsters left."

"Who does that leave for us?" Emmett asked quickly.

"Well," Nicoló said pulling a map out of his briefcase. Unfolding it he lay it down on the table before us and motioned for us all to close in. "Adero told us where we could find them, and after looking through the library before we departed for her here, Sonam and I were able to make some…educated guesses.

"I figure that when she referred to the allies in the frigid north she meant the White Witches that are said to reside there."

"Witches?" I inquired my voice slightly squeakier than I would have liked, as Emmett and Rosalie couldn't help but chuckle at it.

"Not the storybook sort you are thinking of, Bella. The White Witches are all that is left of those humans embedded with witchcraft. They are quite powerful but disappeared during the dark ages. I found some Volturi documents about them still living in the North Pole.

"Now to the frigid South would be what is left of the Elves. Which there definitely are Carlisle, that I am sure."

"You've seen them?" Carlisle asked excitement and curiosity heavy in his voice.

"Indeed I have, I'm not saying they invited me in for dinner, but they are definitely down in Antarctica. I happened upon them quite a long time ago on my search. And Mr. Emmett you would be surprised to know that of all of us "mythical creatures", Elves are pretty much exactly what they humans believe of them."

"Cool," Emmett smiled largely.

"Now, next would be the ones hidden in the great forest."

"That would no doubt be the Centaurs," Carlisle mused lightly.

"Ah, so you know about them?"

"I keep close relations with a large Amazonian coven down there; they have mentioned them once or twice."

"You've never mentioned that," Esme said slapping him playfully on the arm.

"Well the existence of Centaurs has never really come up." He said apologetically kissing her softly on the cheek.

"That aside it's a good thing you have such good relationships with so many strong covens Carlisle because we are going to need all the help we can get."

"Of course," Carlisle nodded agreeably.

"What about the ones in the…Cradle of Life?" Jacob asked curiously.

"Well I'm glad you ask about them Mr. Black because I believe you and your pack will be especially eager to learn about them. Now as I said Adero gave certain humans shape-shifting powers. That would of course include your pack, but there are more."

"More like us?" Seth asked excitedly.

"At the very heart of the matter they are exactly like you."

"But?" Jacob asked heavily.

"Ah good ear Jacob. Like I said they are at the heart like you. The group I refer to is actually right around the area Adero revealed herself to me. They are a tribe called the Asad. Their youth began phasing for the same reason yours did, vampires in the region. I believe it has something to do with Adero taking that first bite out of a human."

"What makes them different than us?" Jacob asked eagerly.

"Well where your tribe shifted into wolves, the strongest, dominant predator in the area, they shifted into…"

"Lions," Jacob said in an awed voice.

"Cool," Seth murmured, "A pack of lions."

"A pride to be exact, Seth." Nicoló smiled amused by their excitement.

"So we need to go find these groups, and convince them to ally themselves with us?" Edward asked slowly.

"You are correct Edward."

"How do we do it?" I asked, thinking about all the groups we had just discussed.

"I believe it would be best to split up. We don't have a lot of time to do this, and we have got to get them all if we expect to win."

At the notion of splitting up we all turned our eyes again to Carlisle for leadership. "I agree," Carlisle said standing up and pacing a few spots. "Have you thought about who should go for who Nicoló?"

"I have some ideas, but I wanted your opinion first. You know your family better than I do."

"Let's hear your ideas."

"Well I think it would be best to send Jacob and Aniella to the Asad."

"What about me?" Seth broke in.

"You need to stay here." Jacob said bluntly.

"Screw that, there are more than enough other pack members to stay behind, I'm coming with."

"But," Jacob began.

"I think it's a good idea," Aniella said, resting a hand calmly on Jacob's arm. "It would be better to have the both of you. I think you forget that I'm not a shape shifter babe."

"I have to agree with her Mr. Black," Nicoló added. "They will probably react better to two shape-shifters."

"Fine," Jacob said holding up a hand to stem Seth's glee. "But you will listen to me no matter what…understood."

"Gotcha Alpha-man!" Seth cheered triumphantly, smiling thankfully towards Aniella.

"Carlisle, I think it would be best if you and I try to get as many of the other covens on our side as we can."

"I agree, and I believe Jasper should try to get as many of the nomads as he can."

"Of course," Jasper nodded agreeably.

"After that I would leave it up to you. I would say it would not be wise to send any man to the White Witches…they are...well not very friendly towards them."

"I think it would be a good ideal to send Alice and Bella then. Does that sound ok to you two?"

Alice and I both spared a glance to eachother and then nodded nervously. "What about Charlie?" I asked quickly.

"I'll stay behind and watch him," Esme said softly and reassuringly.

"Thanks," I whispered.

"What should we expect?" Alice asked turning towards Nicoló? "Besides the whole man hating thing?"

"I doubt you'll have much trouble convincing them to help us. I think the biggest problem will be just finding them."

"Great," I muttered.

"I think it would be a good ideal to send Edward to the Centaurs. They will appreciate him." Carlisle mused.

"How so?" Edward asked slowly.

"They have a knack for being able to see into someone's heart. They will be able to see that you are a strong, selfless person and they will appreciate that."

"I don't think I'm either of those."

"You are too," Alice said turning her face towards him. "However misguided your decisions have been, they have always been from a truly selfless place."

"Thank you," Edward whispered. "It is more than I deserve."

"It's true," I added softly.

"I will go with him," Sonam said strongly, breaking the light tension in the air. Edward turned his head towards Sonam and nodded thankfully.

"So that leaves me and Rose the Elves?" Emmett boomed happily.

"Does this mean I get to wear all those beautiful furs I can't wear to school?"

"Yes that does, and with good reason. The Elves rather dislike humans. They don't like to involve themselves in the affairs of anyone but themselves unless it involves them directly. They might be the hardest to convince, but I believe that both of your intense beauty will help to catch their attention."

"Aww, Emmett, you're intensely beautiful," Jasper teased loudly wrapping his arms around Emmett's broad shoulders and trying to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Oh get off," Emmett growled crossing his arms and flexing his muscles.

"I'm sorry, I believe I worded that wrong," Nicoló said, trying hard to keep from laughing with the rest of us. "What I mean is the Elves are the most stunning creatures alive…and they know it."

"Well Rosalie will fit right in," Alice joked, ducking a slap from Rose.

"Haha you evil little fairy. Whatever you're just jealous you have to go deal with a whole bunch of man hating hags…well," she said looking from me and back to Alice, "maybe you'll fit right in as well."

"You two should bring a U-haul and a dozen cats as a welcoming gift," Edward joked, joining in on the fun.

There was a slight pause as everyone tensed up in ready for Alice and my own reaction. Edward held his breath and stared at us nervously, waiting for an explosion. "Come here you big selfless lug!" Alice yelled laughing and jumping up from the couch and jumping over the back. She caught my eye and I winked back as I jumped up to and pounced simultaneously with her dragging Edward to the ground playfully.

"Please, someone help me," Edward yelled below us, "I swear I can see their thoughts! They're gonna give me a mullet!"

"Haha!" I yelled poking roughly at his ribs while Alice began to gleefully dig her knuckles into his hair. Behind us I could here the rest of our family nearly dying with laughter.

We stopped abruptly when Edward's leg hit a table, nearly sending a vase to the floor. "Alright!" Esme yelled. "I would hate to have to dismember anyone..."

"Sorry," we mumbled sheepishly returning to the couch, still shaking with laughter. It felt good to laugh with Edward. I realized at that moment that this could work after all.

"So," Nicoló said rolling up the map. "Are we all good with what we have to do now?"

We all looked around at each other before fixing our eyes back on Nicoló and Carlisle who now stood side by side. We all nodded.

"Let's get ready guys, we need to be ready to all head out by tomorrow. It's July 1st now. We've got a month." Carlisle said firmly nodding at us all reassuringly.

________________________________________________________________________

Adero is African for She Who Creates Life. Zareb is African for Protector. The Danakil Depression is a region in Ethiopia that is one of the lowest land areas in Africa. The first human tools ever created were found in this region as well as some of the oldest human remains. Emela-ntouka is an African legendary creature in the mythology of the Pygmy tribes, and the Haetae is pretty much the same creature only told in Korean and Chinese mythology. Both resemble the America's Chupacabra. The African tribe's name, Asad, is African for what else Lion.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Sorry for the lag in story. I had some major personal upsets this last week that I have been trying to handle all at once. Anyways I should now return to my normal post time. Props go to my awesome beta reader Jane Humen. Without her my spelling would be horrible and my grammar would be nearly unreadable.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight…why do you...can I have it? O.O

Jasper's POV

Edward sat beside me dripping wet, leaning his head up against the window and looking out into the dreary downpour that was so familiar to us. He had been in the same position since we had left Forks, and left haywire bubbles that Bella couldn't help to wrap us all in. I could tell that we had gotten beyond her range when I was hit in the face with the hundred emotions rolling off of Edward's shoulders. I had been so startled but the intense feelings, I had to temporarily pull over and regain my own composure.

I couldn't control it. Emmett and Jacob had also spent a silent minute with me as well trying to calm their emotions. It was as if an emotional time bomb containing all the ingredients for intense sorrow, disappointment, and a lingering hint of rage, had exploded in my McLaren Roadster.

Edward, to his credit, had quickly jumped out of the cramped car and put some distance between him and us to gain control of his own emotions. I understood how he was feeling. The thick bubble that being near Bella placed us all in was so suppressive that we could very nearly forget about our abilities as well as everyone else's. Edward wasn't even considering dimming his emotions around me, just like I was not keeping my mind as well shut as I could around him.

"Wow," Emmett muttered stroking his temple. "That was intense, man. I thought he was handling this whole Bella and Alice thing better."

"I did, too," I conceded looking out through the window towards where Edward had knelt down in the rain, breathing deeply.

"Naw, some things just hurt too deep to handle easily," Jacob said slowly, following my gaze and sighing to himself. "I'll be right back," he said, and stepped out into the rain, popping the collar of his jacket up before jogging slowly over to Edward.

"Do you think he's gonna be okay?" Emmett asked turning his gaze to mine and lowering his voice as much as he could.

"I hope so," I whispered back.

"He's still angry," Emmett mused.

"That he is," I said slowly in agreement. I nodded my head back to the window as Edward and Jacob closed back in on the car and slid into their seats.

"Sorry about that," Edward said slowly, folding his arms over his chest and sighing.

I could still feel his turbulent emotions but they were definitely more controlled now. Edward grimaced apologetically in my direction, and turned away, leaning his head against the window.

"We all good in the hood?" Emmett asked attempting to lighten the mood.

"As good as can be expected," Jacob shot back and nodded towards me in the rear view mirror.

"On to Seattle then," I said turning my car back on and pulling back onto the highway.

The four of us were heading to go see Jason Jenks, an attorney that our family used from time to time to obtain legal documents. Normally I was the one who dealt with him alone, but this was not a normal trip. We were going to him with a very large request. I doubted he would give me any trouble, but I figured the extra intimidating muscle that Edward, Emmett, and Jacob brought to the table definitely couldn't hurt.

We were going to obtain the necessary travel documents we would need, the rest of my family was in Forks arranging flights, as well as a large snow mobile, a helicopter, a boat ride down the Amazon river, a boat capable of cutting through icy waters around Antarctica that would also be able to carry a large group of people back to Chile, and another plane that actually specialized in flying race horses across continents. We were slightly stumped on how exactly to handle the issue of the Witch coven but figured we would cross that hurdle when we got to it. Carlisle was also purchasing a less conspicuous SUV for myself with specially tinted windows.

I almost felt sorry for the man as we pulled into the brightly lit cul-de-sac where his home was located. I had never shown up on his doorstep like this before and I knew that just me, alone, would have terrified him. With the other guys behind me he would probably have a mini-heart attack.

"So who is this guy?" Jacob asked, shifting uncomfortably in my tiny backseat.

"He's something of our family lawyer," I responded, chuckling. "We're both his best and worst clients, you could say."

"How so?"

"Well you see that shiny new car sitting in the driveway?

"Yah."

"Just one visit from me paid for it."

"So how are you guys his worst clients, then?"

"Jasper gives him a fucking heart attack every time he shows up. He swoops in like fucking Dracula himself and scares the living shit out of him!" Emmett said booming with laughter.

"I went one time and Jenks was seriously considering shooting Jasper with the revolver he had in his desk." Edward added shaking with laughter himself.

"What do you do to the poor guy," Jacob said chuckling uneasily at me.

"Well it's not like I hang upside down from his ceiling or anything. I just make sure that his feelings towards me stay closer to that of fear or disappointment." I said winking at Jacob as I lead the way up the stone sidewalk.

"Yeah, he fears that if he disappoints him he will end up with a toe tag instead of a simple pink slip." Emmett said chuckling as I knocked on the overly prestigious front door of Jason Jenks house.

The house stood quiet for a few seconds after my knock and then, upstairs, I heard Jenks curse to himself and slip out of his bed. He shuffled over to the window and cracked in an inch staring down at us.

"Oh my God," he moaned and quickly scanned the deserted street.

"Who is it?" I heard a woman groan from behind him.

"Clients," he said as I heard him shuffling with what sounded like pants.

"At this time of the night! Ignore them and get back in bed Jason."

"I can't," he said shakily. "It's well…them."

"Oh…ok," she said and I heard her get out of bed herself.

"What are you doing? Get back in bed?"

"Well shouldn't I make them coffee or something?" She asked innocently peeking out the curtain down at us.

"I have been dealing with Jasper Hale for over three years, and I have not seen him take so much as a sip of water. Get back in bed and stop gawking down at them like some desperate housewife."

Behind me Jacob and Emmett fought back guffaws and even Edward chuckled slightly. "Stay here," Jenks said shutting the bedroom door on his wife who was still staring intently down at us.

"She wants your body," Edward teased.

"Haha," I responded turning back to the door as I heard Jenks shuffling across his living room. The dead bolt slid out of the lock and the door slowly swung open, revealing a very nervous looking Jenks.

"Mr. Hale…what a surprise." Jenks said, running a trembling hand over his bald head.

"Yes I'm sorry about the unusual time, but I have some business of great urgency that needs to be attended to immediately." I put on the usual scowl I wore on my face in his presence and nodded my head towards the briefcase I held at my side.

Jason licked his lips greedily and again scanned the street behind us. "Of course, no time is bad when it comes to my most prestigious clients. What can I help you with?"

"Well first you can invite my brothers and me in, unless you intend to complete this transaction on your front porch."

"Oh no I'm so sorry," he said jumping aside and inviting us in with one sweep of his arm. "Please do come in, we can talk in my office."

"Very well," I said darkly, stalking through the front door. Edward, Emmett, and Jacob followed in turn, each one of them fixing their own serious gazes on Jenks as they passed. Jenks gulped nervously as we had unintentionally entered from smallest to largest. He had never seen Emmett and Emmett easily towered over him, but Jacob who he had obviously never seen was even more impressive in size.

"If you'll just follow me," Jenks managed to shake out and lead us through the living room into a office that was littered with decorations that shouted poor taste at us. On the desk was a picture of Jenks and his family standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, a trip paid for with a Christmas bonus from us last year.

"Now Mr. Hale, how can I help you and your family?"

"I have a rather large amount of legal documents I will be requiring, and not a lot of time. I will need the majority of them done by six a.m."

Jenks looked at this briefcase and glanced at his watch quickly, "Th…that only gives me th…three hours." He stuttered out at me disbelievingly.

"Then we had better get started," I said lying the briefcase down with a large thud and opening the snaps to reveal the five-hundred thousand dollars Carlisle had packed it with. "I trust this will be sufficient to make up for the rush."

Jenks plopped down in his chair and ran his hand through his hair, huffing loudly he picked up one of the stacks of hundreds and dropped it quickly like it might attack him if riled any more. "This will be no problem, what can I do for you?" He asked shutting the briefcase and pulling it down beside his chair.

"I thought that would work," I said sitting down opposite from him. I will need twelve drivers licenses and twelve passports. On top of that I will need proof of shot records for five people going to Ethiopia, two of them will also needs shot records that will let them pass through South America as well as another two people. Are you writing this down?" I snapped as Jenk's eyes began to widen with every demand I made.

"Right," he squeaked, grabbing a legal pad, and began scribbling furiously.

"In addition to that, over the next week or two, I or other members will be calling you to send them a large amount of additional passports and tourist visas."

At this Jenks set down his pen and looked at me with a stunned face. "They will be coming in from other countries then?"

"Yes."

"How many are we talking about here?"

"That number is, I'm afraid, undecided at the moment. It could be none and it could be a hundred. You will know when we do."

"Ok," he said blowing out an exasperated breath. "What countries?"

"Some will be coming directly from Ethiopia and that will acceptable to put as their nationalities."

"Ok."

"One group will be coming from Chile, but their nationalities need to be listed as Swedish."

"So…you need me to get them passports and visas from Sweden and then get them routed through Chile?"

"I'm so glad you're following me."

"Yeah," was all he managed to mutter, still staring down at the legal pad.

"Now there will be a few others that might need the same things, but they will only be in groups of three to five at the most."

"Their countries?" He asked flatly.

"Brazil, Egypt, England, Ireland, and Romania."

"Any more?"

I ticked through the mental list and decided for the sake of preparation I should mention the possible help we could get from vampires that Nicoló mentioned knowing. "Possibly from Japan, India, and Germany."

"Is there anything else you need?" He mumbled slumped over his desk talking into his folded arms.

Looking down at his downtrodden appearance I sighed and turned my gaze to Edward questioningly. He simply nodded and handed me the briefcase that he had been concealing behind his back.

"No that is all I require. You will find the pictures for the twelve I need at six underneath your payment in a large manila envelope. And Mr. Jenks?"

"Yes?" He asked raising his gaze only slightly.

"To show you mine and my family's appreciation for your help I would like to give you a gift for all your hard work." With that I snapped open the second brief case and slid it towards him.

He nearly choked as he raised his eyes and stared at the second five-hundred thousand dollar stack of bills in front of him. He took a deep breath and smiled as wide as I had ever seen him do before. "I thank you so much Mr. Hale," he said cheerfully sliding the briefcase to the side of his desk.

"We will be back in three hours. Would you prefer us to meet you here or at your office?"

Running his fingers gleefully over the legal pad he smiled at me and waved his hand nicely. "Please just come by my house; I'm actually am not planning on returning to my office. I think I'm quitting actually."

"Is that so?" I asked, amused by his cheerful demeanor.

"Yes I think I will open my own law office."

"That sounds like a great idea. My family will be your first clients of course."

"Of course, you will see yourself out? I have much to get to," he said tapping his fingers on the legal pad and smiling to me.

"I shall leave the master to his work then. See in you in three hours," I said exiting the room behind my brothers. Behind me I could here Jenks softly singing something that sounded like a jingle for J.L. Jenks Law Offices.

"Well that went well," I said sliding into the driver's seat of my car.

"Are you kidding? Jenks is in there decorating his new office already.

"How much money did you give him?" Jacob managed to choke out from behind me.

"Only a million," Emmett said smiling widely at him.

"ONLY A MILLION? As in dollars?" Jacob yelled throwing himself forwards and looking at Edward and me in disbelief. We simply nodded at him.

"How can you just give away a million dollars? I know you guys are rich but how? That's so much money."

"Ah we got plenty more," Emmett said slapping him on the back and booming with laughter.

"How?" Jacob asked falling back against the seat.

"We don't have a lot of expenses," Edward said slowly.

At that Emmett began to laugh harder. "Well there is Edward, who is downright dangerous at the Poker Tables in Las Vegas."

"You cheat?"

"Well we are vampires…" Edward said sheepishly.

"Carlisle also makes a lot of money. Besides his job at the hospital he also writes for a number of medical journals and does private consultations. He's an expert of infectious diseases, since he can smell the blood and know if something is wrong." I said trying to clean up the image I figured was forming Jacob's already biased mind about our family.

"And then there is Alice, that freaking pixie is our little Pièce De Résistance." Emmett added gleefully.

"What does she do?"

"The lottery."

"How can she do that? Those balls come out at random."

"Well that's the beauty of it you see," Edward said unable to resist boasting about Alice. "The balls come out at random, but the numbers we choose are not random."

"So what? You decide numbers and she see if they will win?"

"Well first we decide a date. Say we decide we are going to play the lottery on May 1st and it's January 1st. Alice will, over the course of those months, tic through each possible combination and decide to go with that combination. Then she gets a vision of if that will win on that day. If it doesn't the number gets crossed off and she goes to the next one."

"All 2,621,444 of them," I added chuckling besides myself.

"You guys are brilliant," Jacob said leaning back in amazement.

"We do what we can," Edward said smoothly leaning back in his seat.

We passed the next three hours driving aimlessly around Seattle waiting for Jenks to round up our items. Around five thirty we decided to head back over to Jenks house and just wait for him there. We were passing though a largely abandoned warehouse district when Edward snapped up and whipped his head towards me panicked.

"What is it?" I asked stopping and look back at him.

"I hear Charlotte…she's close."

"My Charlotte?" I asked quickly scanning my eyes around the deserted streets. "Is Peter with her?"

Edward stared at me, his expression frozen with shock. I could feel panic and worry rolling off his shoulders. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Jasper," Edward said lowering his eyes.

"Why are you sorry," I asked unable to hide the worry in my voice. Behind Edward's feelings I was suddenly overcome with an extreme feeling of pain and loss. Craning my head I looked up and saw a figure slowly stumbling out of an ally. The person removed the hood of her jacket and I saw Charlotte, her face was scrunched up in agony and she held her hands over her chest and wailed at the sky.

I threw open my door and ran to her quickly. As I neared her she raised her eyes and registered who I was just as I reached her.

"Jasper," she wailed rapping her arms around me strongly. "Oh god Jasper, she just killed him. She didn't have to, she just did it."

"Tell me what happened," I asked into her shoulder.

"We were picked up by some thugs and brought here. They said they had someone who wanted to talk to us. It was some crazy red head who kept going on about killing you and your family. She wanted us to join us in some kind of battle. She was stark raving mad. We told her no and she had us locked up. Then she just came and killed Peter. She made to kill me but I just…I just snapped and tore through the newborns. Oh god Jasper, the newborns…she has an army of them to kill you."

"It's going to be ok," I said holding her tightly against me, trying to calm her down the best I could as I mourned my old friend's death.

"No there are so many of them. It's like Mexico all over again."

"No this is different, we know of their plans. We are making our own army."

"What?" She yelled pushing me away in misunderstanding.

"No not newborns…god no…it's a long story. Come back with me to Forks. You will be safe there and I will explain all I can to you."

"Ok," she muttered, her voice shook in emotional exhaustion and she let me lead her towards my car. Edward hopped out and helped her into the middle seat between the two of us.

"You are a werewolf…" Charlotte said looking at Jacob disdainfully.

"That I am," he said back to her slowly.

"You do have a lot to explain," she said leaning up against my shoulder.

"That I do," I said trying my hardest to smile.

Edward reached an arm around Charlotte and gripped my shoulder tightly in an affectionate manner. "You gonna be ok?"

"No…but I'll live." I said grimacing and starting the car.

After a quick stop by Jenk's house we turned the car back towards Forks, each of us silent with our own thoughts. When we crossed into Bella's range and I felt the feeling of everyone else retract, I finally let my mind and my soul grieve unchecked for my old friend.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: So yah long chapter. Most of the chapters are going to long like this from here on out so you'll understand why it's taking a little long. Also this chapter is un-beta'd so have mercy on me.

Disclaimer: I don't own all of this. Haha yah for original content. Take that Stephenie Meyers…or you could just take me…please?

Carlisle's POV

I stood at the top of the steps next to my wife as we watched Edward's car pull out of the drive. Behind him was Jasper followed by Emmett who carried the girls, and last was Jacob's car. I did not know when I would see any of my children again, nor did I know if they would succeed in their endeavors ahead of them. All I was certain of was they would try their best and at this point that was all I could ask of them, and all they could ask of me.

Beside me I felt Esme stiffen as the cars turned down the road and out of our sight. I knew whatever pain and fear I felt at this particular parting was magnified by a hundred in Esme's heart. She was their mother after all.

"It will be ok love," I said putting an arm around her and pulling her to my side. "They all have eachother."

"I know," she sighed. "But they are my babies."

"That they are," I said kissing her on her cheek.

"A wonderful brood I might say," Nicoló said as he walked out the door. "You have done more for them than any vampire can do for another Esme, and I am positive they will return quickly and safely."

"Thank you Nicoló," Esme said smiling, though her eyes stayed on the drive. "When are you to leaving?"

"Our plane does not leave for another few hours after theirs; we still have a few calls to make before we leave."

Esme sighed and kissed me on the cheek and turned to go back to the house when we all turned our heads towards the drive at the sound of a vehicle turning up our drive. After a minute or so an old weather blue pickup turned around the bend and came to a stop a couple of yards from where we stood. I recognized the two large men who jumped out as two of Jacob's pack members, Quil and Embry. I had met Quil before on a few occasions but never Embry. I could tell of the two of him that he was clearly nervous in our presence. Not uncomfortable, just nervous.

"Hey guys, what can I do for you. I'm sure you know Jacob has left?" I asked walking down the stairs towards them.

"Oh yah we know," Quil said walking up smiling at me widely. "That's why we are here. Jacob asked if we could stay around here with Ms. Cullen while everyone is gone and help her to watch after Charlie."

"I have no problem with that, Esme?" I said turning to my wife.

"How sweet of Jacob to think of me like that. Of course I don't mind? Are you two hungry?" She asked warmly, but I could feel her voice crack a bit with emotion at Jacob's sentimental gesture. In the past few weeks since Aniella had come Jacob had spent a lot of time with us learning about her kind, and in the process Esme had claimed him and Aniella as two more children. In fact after so much time together we had all become accustomed to the smell of eachother even.

Embry looked nervously at Quil who just chuckled, "She's not gonna feed us blood dummy. Jacob said she's an awesome cook."

"I knew that," Embry mumbled blushing wildly.

"So what will it be boys? Steak or roast beef? Or both?" Esme said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Yes please!" Quil said pulling her into a tight hug. "No wonder Jacob calls you mom all the time."

This was too much for Esme and she burst out in a big smile and dragged Quil and startled looking into the door, rambling on about the sides.

"That wife of yours is something Carlisle," Nicoló chuckled.

"That she is," I said smiling widely at my own luck. "You know maybe you should settle down."

"Maybe I should," he said thoughtfully to himself. "But first I think I shall save the world. After you," he said opening the door.

"Yes I believe we should continue saving the world." I said going through the open door and heading towards the stairs leading to my office. As we passed the kitchen I glanced in a saw Quil and Embry devouring the leftovers of a chocolate cake Esme had baked the day before for Jacob.

"While that smells horrible I have to say that by the look on those boys' faces they have the best job out of all of us." I said nodding my head towards them.

Nicoló followed my gaze and chuckled warmly, "What you mean you're not looking forwards to knocking on twenty or so vampire's doors and convincing them to go to battle with us?"

"Well when you put it like that my friend I'm positively thrilled at the notion," I said walking into my office and sitting down in the chair besides my desk.

Spread out on it was a large map that had quite a number of pin pricks in denoting where we had to go in the next few days. I looked down and began trying to decide which coven I would call now to announce my impending visit to. Nicoló and I had already contacted a number of the covens and explained that we would be stopping in to discuss some very important matters. While it wasn't necessary to give them the advance callings, nor was it even very practiced, I felt it important to let them know what was coming rather than nock on their door and bombard them with facts.

"What are these?" Nicoló said prodding a large pile of patient files.

"Patient files, I am handing over my cases to a coworker until this entire mess is settled."

"I don't know how you handle being around all that blood," Nicoló said sitting down across from me and looking at the map.

"Willpower my friend," I mumbled. "Pure willpower."

"More than any being in creation that's for sure. So who do we have left to call? The only two covens that we haven't informed of our visit are the Egyptian coven and your friends in Japan."

"Well in that case I shall call the Japanese and you can call the Egyptians." He said pulling out his phone. The next hour or so we spent trying to get through to the respective covens. The hardest to talk to was the Egyptians who had a certain dislike for other vampires. Besides the Romanians they had been the most hostile after the Volturi had taken control so many years ago.

"Why are you coming?" Amun asked again for the tenth time.

"I have already told you that I can not say over the phone; only that it is very important information that concerns us all."

"I'm sorry Carlisle but I don't see how anything that concerns you would make the slightest difference to us."

"This will," I snapped, my patience beginning to wane. "Listen Amun, I will be there in three days time to discuss something of great importance. If you and your own choose to disregard what we have to say that is your right, but I must try and make you understand the importance."

"Very well," Amun said ruefully. "I will see in you three days time."

"That you shall," I said hanging up abruptly.

"Our Egyptian friend's not excited to hear we will be dropping in on them I take it."

"No Amun can be quite difficult to deal with," I said rolling up the map carefully and placing it in a long cylindrical tube. "How did it go with the Japanese?"

"They were actually delighted to here we would be visiting. Especially you, they are excited to meet one of the American vampires with golden eyes. I believe they will be hosting a tea ceremony in our honor."

"If only all vampires could be like that," I murmured sweeping the patient files up in my arms. "We should get going; I would hate to miss our plane."

"Agreed," Nicoló said pulling his own bag off the ground and following me down the stairs.

Stepping into the kitchen I found Esme setting down what looked like two whole sides of beef in front of Quil and Embry. "Quil before you attack that steak can I have a word with you?"

"Sure," Quil said picking up his plate and looking at Embry distrustfully before stepping over to me. "What can I do for you?"

"Well it would be a large personal favor, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind dropping these documents off at the hospital for me. It would save me a trip and I'm afraid I spent a good deal of time more than I would have like on the phone. I could pay you," I said pulling a couple of wadded hundred dollar bills out of my pocket.

"You don't have to pay me Dr. Cullen," Quil said licking his lips looking at the money.

"It's the least I can do," I said tucking it into his shirt pocket.

"Well if it's the least," he said grinning broadly and turning back to go eat his guarded steak.

"You're off to then?" Esme said walking over to me, her smile beginning to wane again.

"I am, but I will be back before you know it."

"Take care of eachother," Esme said wrapping her arms tightly around me.

"Don't worry Esme, I'll have back good as new," Nicoló said hugging her softly.

"Where are you going to first?" Embry asked, his curiosity winning over his nervousness.

"Yes where exactly are you going to?" Esme said looking at me expectantly.

"First we are going to Ireland to talk to the Irish, and after that we will just sweep across Europe and Asia on a first stop basis. After that we are gonna head to Egypt, then over to Brazil and then back here. Should take three to five day's tops."

"Should being the key word," Nicoló laughed glancing at his watch.

"We had better go. Quil, Embry thank you for staying here. Our home is your home; please feel free to use any of our cars."

"Sure thing Dr. Cullen," Quil said through a mouthful of steak eyeing the keys to my Ferrari.

Esme smiled sadly and pulled me against her once more. "Be safe," she whispered softly in my ear.

"Be safe," I replied hugging her back, before releasing her and turning out the door and into the gloomy weather, and into the first leg of our mission.

________________________________________________________________________

"Well that is quite the story Carlisle, and not what I was explaining." Siobhan said staring down at the tape recorder containing Adero's prophesy. Pushing the raven colored hair off of her face she turned expectantly to Maggie, who sat staring at the tape recorder in shock. "Maggie?" Liam asked.

"It's true," Maggie said nodding slowly. "They are telling the truth, about everything."

"Well doesn't that just beat all?" Liam said smiling in spite of the situation.

"We'll help you of course," Siobhan said in a voice that betrayed her disbelief in the matter.

"I knew I could count on you, and trust me I know how this feels."

"I still can't believe that little monster took down the Volturi. I'll admit the majority of them were arses, but Aro? And the wives?"

"I know, I am still in shock at the senseless loss of life. However misguided the majority of their campaigns were, the Volturi served a huge purpose. If Adero's prophesy is true, and Jane and Victoria take power…well I would rather not think about it," I said shivering at the mere thought.

"We will leave tomorrow for your home then." Liam said stepping up behind Siobhan and rubbing her shoulders softly, trying to ease her emotional pain.

"Yes we shall."

"Excellent, now in the matter of transportation I have taken the liberty of setting up some passports and visas for the three of you. I fear Jane is probably on her guard and I decided it would be prudent to secure safe passage for every vampire coming to join arms besides my family."

"Thank you Carlisle, I do appreciate the effort."

"Of course," I said standing up from my seat and pulling my cell phone out. "If you don't mind I need to go make a phone call and arrange to pick up the necessary documents and arrange your flight."

"By all means," Siobhan said nodding towards the back door.

Pushing it open I walked into the back yard and took a second to survey the scenery. The Irish Coven's homestead was absolutely impressive. Far away from prying human eyes it was a canvas of vibrant green and colorful flowers. From a few miles away I could smell a badger and it reminded me that I needed to feed. Turning off my breathing I sighed and resigned myself to eating once we got to Germany, seeing as the only animal Ireland offered in the way of predators were badgers.

"Carlisle," Maggie called stepping out the door behind me.

"Yes Maggie," I asked.

"I think I should come with you and Nicoló to visit the other covens. It will not be easy convincing the others and I believe I might be able to lend a hand there," she said tapping her forehead.

I considered her offer for a second and could very clearly see how useful she would be. Maggie's ability was to know whether someone was being truthful or not. That was of course why I had been able to convince in the first place. "Are you sure you want to do this? We will be traveling a lot over the next few days."

"I think I can handle myself." She said smiling widely.

"Then I would be very grateful to have your help on this undertaking."

"And I will be happy to help. I'm going to go pack now." And with that she turned and walked back through door nearly knocking Nicoló over.

"What was that about," he asked nodding towards the door with a chuckle.

"Maggie will be traveling with us the rest of the journey. She suggested it would be a little easier for her to convince the other covens we are telling the truth with her ability."

"Oh so that's what that was." Nicoló laughed. "I was wondering why they turned to her. I'm guessing she can pick up on lies?"

"That she can," I said flipping open my phone and punching in Jenk's number.

"Hello?" A groggy voice answered.

"Mr. Jenks, this is Dr. Cullen. I believe my son Jasper told you I would be calling you over the next few days?"

"Oh, hello Dr. Cullen,' a now fully alert Jenks answered. "Yes he did? How can I assist you sir?"

"I require the passports and visas for two of my friends here in Ireland."

"Ok that is no problem…I thought there were three from Ireland though?"

"There were originally, but now one of them has decided to join myself and my friend for the rest of our travels."

"Oh well, there passport will work just as well going through any other country."

"That is good to hear."

"All right Dr. Cullen your documents are in Dublin, my colleague has agreed to meet you at a small pub in on the Northern outskirts of the city. Look for The Dancing Lady on St. Charles Street. Do you need anything else sir?"

"No Mr. Jenks, I will not require anything else at this time. But I will be calling you next from Germany if probably two days."

"Until then, good travels sir."

"Yes goodbye Jenks," I said closing my phone and turning towards the door.

Siobhan stood on the inside of the door watching me closely. I am sure she was still looking for some sign that this was all a big joke being played at her expense.

"So this is really happening?" She said sighing to herself.

"I'm afraid it is. We need to leave as soon as possible to receive your passports and get you to the airport."

"You've already bought the tickets then," she said chuckling to herself.

"Yes, I though it would be best even if you decided not to come. We are on a time crunch after all."

"Or Carlisle, did you really think I would say no to you about this?"

"I doubted you would, but I have reservations about the others. Especially the Egyptian coven."

"Well you shouldn't have to hard of a time with the Germans. We see them a few times a year and they know Maggie's ability and how it works."

"Thank you for letting her come with me Siobhan. Even those who aren't familiar with her ability will be easier convinced after she gives them a demonstration."

"It was her decision Carlisle. And just like you I wouldn't dare keep her away from doing something she wants too."

"Very true." I sighed thinking for a second of Alice and Bella and their unruly beginnings.

Siobhan tried to hold back a laugh and failed miserably, flinging her hand to her mouth her robust frame shook with laughter. I looked at her uncertainly trying to think of what could cause her so much glee. Siobhan saw the look on my face and just began to laugh harder.

"What is so funny," I finally asked slowly.

"I doubt you will have any trouble convincing the Romanian's to help you," she managed to choke out, and laughed even more at the exasperated look on my face.

"No I don't suppose I will," I said joining in on her good natured laughter.

"Aw they will probably throw a party when they hear of the Volturi."

"That they will," I said smiling.

"Oh Carlisle, all I can say is good luck to you."

"I will need it," I said resounded to my difficult fate.

"Well I suppose we should go and feed before we close ourselves up in a plane with a bunch of humans." Liam said stepping though the backdoor with Maggie in tow.

"Yes I think it would probably be detrimental to our plans if you went through customs covered in blood."

"That it would," Siobhan added.

"I think I will join them Carlisle, I'm beginning to feel a little peckish. You should eat something to," he said softly.

I shot down this proposal with a sour face as I recalled the smell of the badger I had happened upon when I came outside. "I think I'll wait until we get to Germany."

"I don't blame you Carlisle, I know you prefer predator animals, and you'll find them in short supply here. Our woodland in more than lacking," Liam said clapping me on the back.

"It is ok, I will be fine." I said reassuringly. "Go feed, but please hurry. Our planes leave in four hours."

"Just a quick bite," Liam said winking at me, and with that the four of them scattered across the vibrant green landscape.

________________________________________________________________________

Siobhan had been correct in her assumption that with Maggie by my side I would have less trouble convincing other vampires to join with us. Indeed the German coven had been a little harder to convince than the Irish. But they had succumbed to reason and their own personal confidence in Maggie's ability. The day we arrived we had them on a plane to Forks, and we were off to the Romanians.

I had personally been dreading just this meeting for the simple fact that the Romanian's could be a little blatantly blunt about their feelings towards the Volturi who had overthrown them some fifteen hundred years ago. They had jumped up and down with joy for more than fifteen minutes before the distraught looks on Nicoló and my own face pervaded their thick skulls. After a quick explanation I sent them off to Forks as well.

When we reached the Indian coven our task became slightly more harried. They had heard of Maggie in passing and looked at my golden eyes with much distrust. We had spent the better part of two days demonstrating Maggie's ability for them. I was considering abandoning this meeting when we received a very lucky break. One of the members of the coven heard me discussing Edward and Sonam with Maggie. It turned out that everyone in their coven not only knew Sonam, they respected him. It was enough to convince them then to join us, and they to were off to Forks as we departed for Japan.

I found myself actually nervous as our plane landed and once again turned to Nicoló for advice about the proper etiquette I and Maggie would need to observe. Nicoló saw my intent and waved my questions off with a wave of his hand.

"Do not worry Carlisle; I have known this coven for many years now. They will love you."

"I can't help but be worried," I muttered pulling my carryon out of the over head compartment and turning to my own internal monologue. I had very good reason to be nervous about this meeting. The Japanese coven was one I had never in all my years met, not many vampires did. They were notoriously private and made there permanent residence on a smile island close to one hundred miles northeast of the mainland Japan. I had been stunned when Nicoló divulged the information that in his travels he had met some of the coven members. That was nothing compared to the shock I felt when Nicoló preceded to tell me that the coven's number was close to twenty members now, and at least half of them were older than a decade. I realized then that the Japanese coven could be a very powerful ally…or an insurmountable foe.

In the last week I had tried very hard to learn as much about the Japanese coven as I possibly could. I found it very impressive that such a coven existed, and even more that they kept a permanent residence. Our kind was not prone to stay in one place for very long for fear of discovery by humans. Even my vegetarian family moved every five or so years before people began to notice that none of us had aged.

The coven had two co-leaders who were known as the Two Suns of Japan. They ruled in a very strict and orderly fashion, but from what Nicoló told me though, they were not harsh leaders and were very fascinating. Fusao was a scholar in 7th century Japan; he was born into a noble family and because of this had been among few in his time to attend school. At this school he studied the ancient texts of Japan and was well on his way to become a calligraphy master for the emperor. On the eve of his graduation he attended a tea party thrown in his honor. There he met a geisha named Hisa. In spite of the laws forbidding there relationship Fusao fell madly in love with Hisa, and her him. With no other options they decided to elope and flee the region to go south. They were to meet on the outskirts of town coming from opposite directions under the cover of darkness and set out for their new life. Hisa never came. After a few hours of frenzied waiting Fusao went towards the direction that Hisa should of arrived from. He had been walked for three miles before he came upon a vampire feeding on her body. In a fit of rage he through himself onto the vampire, determined to destroy it. The vampire easily overtook him and made to feed off of him to. Fusao to this day does not know why the vampire stopped, and where he went. All he knows is he awaked at dawn three days later next to Hisa's cold body, while the burn in his was just beginning to fade.

Shiro had passed into this existence in 1214. At the time he was a samurai warrior who served the emperor faithfully. When he stumbled upon a murder plot to assassinate the emperor he tried to warn the other samurai before the attempt could be carried out. He failed to warn them in time and the emperor was murdered. Dishonored and destitute he set out to end his life by committing Seppuku. He was close to death when a Fusao happened upon him. In a split second decision Fusao decided to change Shiro and make him a companion to pass the lonely eternity with.

I pressed the thoughts out of my mind as we were greeted by a very intelligent looking vampire who made his way through the crowd towards us. He stood around five six and was dressed in a very expensive looking business suit. His jet black hair was slick back down and he wore a pair of dark colored sunglasses. As bowed slightly towards Nicoló's in greeting his mouth opened in a wide smile revealing a row of razor sharp teeth.

"Nicoló," he said "It is good to see you after so long."

"I share the sentiments," Nicoló said returning the bow. "Akio I would like to formally introduce Dr. Carlisle Cullen of the Northwest American coven." Akio bowed towards me slightly as well and smiled even larger. "And this," Nicoló said putting an arm affectionately on Maggie's shoulder, "This is Maggie of the Irish coven."

"I am very pleased to make both of your acquaintances. If you will follow me we will go to our car that will take us to the marina."

"How long is the boat ride there?" I asked gripping my suitcase tightly and feeling the familiar tinge of hunger in my stomach. I had learned very quickly that it was much harder to go abroad nowadays when you are a vegetarian vampire and I found myself wondering yet again how my children were faring.

"It should take no less than an hour," Akio said smiling at me as we walked out into the shadowy haze of Tokyo's sundown. "I am guessing that you are all hungry, but I can assure you that there will plenty to feed on when we arrive at the island. It is not often that we have guests and Shiro is especially excited to meet you Dr. Cullen. He as organized a tea party in honor of this visit."

"I am very honored myself that I have been allowed to come to your home and meet with you." I said as we reached a large black sedan with tint blackened windows. A large man in a black suit took our luggage and slid it into the back as we all took our seats inside. The man walked around the vehicle casting his gaze around the block before pulling himself into the driver's seat and driving us down the busy streets.

"Of course we have taken your fascinating dietary needs into concern and have taken the liberty of acquiring a large Japanese black bear for you to feed on."

"Tell me how is it that such a large coven is able to stay in one location?" I asked. Now that I was beginning to feel slightly less nervous my natural curiosity was beginning to take over.

Akio laughed and turned in his seat to face me. "We actually only just set up the permanent residence on our island. For the last hundred years we have moved every few years to avoid detection. But this beautiful country is only so large that we decided that we needed to come up with a better solution. I wonder have you heard of the company Shiro-Fusao Medical Industries."

The name was familiar but I was not sure from where when he said it. Racking my brain I took a shot in the dark, "Isn't that company the one who has been researching stem cells to make artificial blood?"

"Yes it is Dr. Cullen. We have been researching a way to make a sustainable blood substitute that we can use to supplement our diets with, to avoid having to feed on humans so regularly."

"That's amazing," I said in awe thinking of the ways this could revolutionize the way vampires survived today. "How far have you come?"

"We have made leaps and bounds in the field. Every day we get closer to perfecting our product. Right now it definitely is artificial blood, but our production technique is still limited. A month's work produced only enough to feed a limited number of us for a few days. But we believe we will have a near perfect and efficient replica of human blood before the year is out."

We all fell silent as we all mulled over what such a creation could do for our species. I wasn't so naïve to believe that every vampire would use it. I'm not even sure if half of them would in fact. But I knew that for the covens who wanted to set up longer residences it would be beneficial to them. My thoughts were interrupted when I felt the car park and Akio announce that we had arrived at the marina.

The ride to the island took close to an hour, and we spent the majority of it discussing more about the goings on of the company. We kept the conversation light however. I did not want to discuss the reason behind our visit to broadly until I had the attention of the coven later tonight.

Finally through the darkness I saw the dark outline of an island spring up before me. The beach was lined with torches that cast a surreal glow across the marble white sand. When we stepped off the boat two vampires whose crescent shaped scars still shined with the luster of there first year met us and collected our bags from us. Akio asked the young vampires to see us to the visitor lodging and assured us that he would come to get us when the tea party started.

We followed them up a short path that led us into a large cluster of smaller gazebo like huts. We followed them into one in particular that's windows stood dark. As we shuffled into the room one of the men stuck a match and began lighting the gas burning lamps. The room was very tastefully decorated in a pre-industrial Japanese motif and it was obvious that it had been set up for our visit in advance. Three traditional bed rolls had been spread out on the floor on one side of the room. Opposite to that a very advance looking computer bay had been set up for our use, including a satellite phone.

We took turns showering and changing into more appropriate clothing while we awaiting Akio's summon. We heard a knock on the door just as Nicoló walked out of the bathroom buttoning up his suit.

"Come in," I called letting Maggie adjust my tie.

"We are ready to start the ceremony," Akio said walking in, also dressed more appropriately. "Would you like me to run through the basics of the ceremony for you?"

"Please," we all answered in unison.

Akio laughed at the eager looks on our faces and waved us after him. "I will explain on the way. When we arrive at the compound you will all need to wash your hands and mouth out with water to purify yourselves. Then you will all be required to remove your footwear before you enter the tea room. I will lead you to your places then. You are considered very important guests so you will seated next to Fusao and Shiro."

"And after that?" I asked as we neared the doors to the compound.

"After that everything will be taken care of. You will not be expected to sit in the traditional seiza position, so just sit in whatever position you find most comfortable."

I was loosely familiar with the seiza position but I knew that Maggie was not. I could see she wanted to ask more about it but we had already entered the compound. After we purified our hands and mouths we removed our shoes and placed them along the wall next to a row of others. When we stepped into the tea room it was evident why we would not have to sit seiza style and Maggie's face rang with understanding.

As vampires we rarely find a position that is uncomfortable for us. Our muscles can handle strain up to six times greater then our body could have managed when we were humans. Sitting at the crescent shaped table the members of the coven were seated directly on the hard polished wooden floors. Each one sat in kneeling position with there knees bent underneath them with their buttocks resting on the soles of their feet. Even for a vampire it did not look particularly comfortable.

The low chatter in the room stemmed off as Akio led us to our seats and we lowered ourselves down on the small pillows that had been lain out for us. Akio took his own seat next to Maggie and nodded towards one of the young vampires who had attended us earlier. He nodded back and disappeared behind a large fabric door covering. A second later her reappeared and took his own place at the table.

After a few brief seconds two older very dignified vampires walked out from behind the fabric, between them they carried a copper pit that was held up by two parallel bamboo polls that ran down the sides. The sat the pit in the middle of the room and the other vampire from earlier came from behind them and lifted off the copper lid, revealing a large tub of coal, before taking his place as well.

One of the vampires who stood at the front of the room pulled out two stones and clicked them over the coals, igniting them expertly on his first attempt. The other vampire turned to us and made to address the room. "That is Fusao," Akio whispered to us quickly.

"Today we are honored to welcome three very distinguished vampires to our home. Nicoló formally of the Volturi is a man we are familiar with. He is an explorer of our kind and has long searched out the very meaning of our existence."

The other vampire who I assumed was Shiro stepped forwards and smiled broadly at me, "Next to Nicoló is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He is the leader or the American Coven. He is a doctor to humans, and he and his family choose to live off of the blood of animals so they can live peacefully amongst humans." At this a few vampires looked oddly at me and nearly all of them looked at my dark amber colored eyes.

"And last but not least," Fusao said taking over again, "We have Maggie who is a member of the Irish coven. While we do not know much of her, I have heard that she has the unique ability to detect when someone is lying to her. Is that true?" He asked curiously.

"Yes it is," Maggie said confidently.

"So," Shiro began, "If I were to tell you that I was born in 1194…"

"I would have to say that you are indeed not being truthful about your age." Maggie replied.

"And you would be very right," Shiro said laughing.

"Now that the formal greeting are done with, let the ceremony concede," Fusao said motioning for the two young vampires to join him and Shiro. They disappeared through the fabric and Shiro and Fusao walked around the table and took their places at the center of it next to us.

Seconds later the two returned carrying a large cauldron filled with blood that sat atop a large cart.. From the smell of it, I could instantly tell that it was the artificial blood that Akio had described to us earlier. The cauldron was hooked from the ceiling to warm and from below the cart one of them pulled out a smaller cauldron. My mouth began to water with venom as the smell of the black bear blood from within wafted out as it was hooked over the fire as well.

The two vampires bowed towards the room and took their seats as the lights were dimmed and a curtain at the side of the room was opened. From behind the curtain six actors dressed up in traditional Kabuki style outfits and make-up. I could tell instantly that they were human and was surprised that none of the coven members, including the two young first years even minutely tensed at their presence. The actors took there places and acted out in pantomime what I could tell were the stories of Fusao and Shiro's life stories. I wondered if they knew just how true the drama they were acting out was. At the end of their performances Shiro and Fusao rose and thanked them and saw them out of the room.

The two young vampires again left and wheeled out a small cart containing twenty small bowls and spoons. One by one Shiro and Fusao filled each bowl with blood and passed it to each member of there coven. When they reached us they filled Nicoló and Maggie's bowls from the large cauldron and mine from the smaller one. After all had been passed out they stepped to the middle of the room and bowed and we all drank our blood silently.

It was a heavenly feeling as the blood slid down my throat and I was thankful that they had taken the time to retrieve it for me. So far on this journey my meals had been very meager and unsatisfying. After all our bowls were cleared Fusao and Shiro drank their own and then the two younger vampires cleared the area.

"And now our visitors have some very important news that they would like to share with us I believe."

"That we do," Nicoló said rising from his mat and motioning Maggie and I do the same. We walked around the table and Shiro and Fusao went the opposite way taking there seats.

Taking a deep breath Nicoló and I began telling the story for the fifth time of our journey. Starting with Nicoló stumbling upon the mother and ending here in Japan. In the middle we included the information about Jane's betrayal of the Volturi, Victoria's history, Charlotte escaping and telling us what she could of their plans. We told them of my children and how they were currently spread across the world, pleading with other species to join in this fight would ultimately decide which direction our mythical world would take. Maggie for her part displayed her gift more broadly, having each coven member tell her a truth and a lie in turn until they were all confident in her ability.

Shiro and Fusao sat quietly for the entire explanation watching and listening to us very closely. At the end of it when I pleaded for their help Shiro held up his hand to silence me and placed it on the shoulder of a very young vampire who sat next to him. I had not paid particular attention to the boy until then, and he looked to have been changed around the age of 15 at my best estimate.

"Dr. Cullen this is Hibiki. We have listened closely to what you have told us and everything you say has lined up so far. While it is very hard to believe I know that you are both respectable men who would not lie to me, or Miss Maggie," he said nodding to her with a twinkle in his blood red eyes.

"That aside," Fusao continued, "You can understand that we would like to verify your story ourselves."

"Of course whatever you need to do," I answered curiously.

"Hibiki here has a very interesting ability. If he concentrates hard on an event that is being relayed to him, he can accurately display the memory much like a projector shows what is on a film slide."

"That's marvelous," I said with awe looking more closely at Hibiki.

"But unlike a movie, he can not show something that is fake. If the even being relayed to him is fabricated the event will be grainy and muted. I would like you Nicoló," he said looking to Nicoló, "to describe the night that you met the mother in the bush of Africa."

"Of course," Nicoló said stepping forwards. "Erm…is there anything I need to do specifically?" He asked Hibiki.

"No," he replied softly. "Just kneel in front of me and describe it in detail. Keep looking deep into my eyes."

"A fair warning, the visions are very realistic and you might experience a slight vertigo when it happens," Shiro warned us as Nicoló sat down.

Nicoló cleared his throat and began to describe that night to Hibiki in detail. The feeling of vertigo was indeed overwhelming as the temperature rose from that of our comfortable sea cooled surroundings to the humid night air of Ethiopian Danakil Depression.

Suddenly it felt as if we were tipping over and falling into a different world. The walls dissolved to blackness and the very ground under our feet turned to dirt. I stood still for a second as the queasy feeling passed. In front of me the other vampires sat still on the ground with Nicoló and Hibiki looking deeply into eachother eyes. I felt Maggie pull on my sleeve and I followed her gaze to see Nicoló and Sonam following a very young vampire leading them towards a large hole in the ground. Without looking at them he jumped down through it.

The two of them looked at eachother for a second before following him down. I felt the vertigo hit again as we passed through the ground eerily to the cave that had been hidden below our feet. The walls were lines with crystals that sparkled brightly from the moonlight shining down on them.

After a few seconds of silence I saw the figure Nicoló had described. The voice that spoke to us was stronger and more powerful than it had come across on the small tape recorder that had captured it. The mother gave forth her prophesy and a shudder passed down my spine as she turned and disappeared into the darkness. The vision disappeared in front of our eyes with Sonam and Nicoló looking at eachother in surprise. The entire vision had been crystal clear.

"Very well," Shiro said behind us, "We will join you in the war for our futures."

The next few hours were spent debating when the coven should leave; they unlike most covens ran a very public company. Finally it was decided that they would leave control to the board members under the guise that they had some very personal family conflicts to handle.

When it came time for me to explain that I had already set up passports and plane tickets Shiro waved me off with a large smile. "Oh transportation is not a problem my friend," he said laughing with Fusao.

"Are you sure, I made sure to get first class tickets?" I asked confused at there laughter, thinking they might have there own plane.

"No my friend, I actually have something that I am very, very excited to show the three of you. Will you please all follow me and Fusao," Shiro said leading us out of the compound towards a small stone building.

"I believe that Akio explained to you that we just set up our permanent residence on this island not long ago. Did he tell you why?"

"He explained about the food source a little."

"Yes that is part of the reason, it was hard before we learned how to engineer our blood to sustain our large family. But we have actually owned this island for the last four-hundred years."

"That is a long time to hold onto a piece of real estate," Nicoló said kneeling through the low door. Looking around we saw a stair case directly in front of us leading down into darkness.

"Well you see, we have something in our protection that we value very dearly. I think it would be best to just show you," he said waving us down the stairs into the darkness.

We walked down the ancient stone staircase carefully. The walls were slick with ocean water that leaked through the cracks in places and torches lit up the narrow stair case. To the left was a deep pit that dropped off into darkness. At one point Maggie kicked a stone and even with our heightened hearing we did not hear it land. Finally we reached a large metal door.

"I would like to warn you that it might be a little over-whelming at first, but not to fear him." Shiro said pushing the door opened.

Stepping into the dark room it took a few seconds for our eyes to adjust, but when they did Nicoló, Maggie, and I all fell back against the wall in shock. Lying in the middle of the cave was a very large reptilian beast. Its scaly skin was snow white with black tips at the ends of them. It lay curled up with his head resting on one of his four long front legs which curled into spiny fins at the end. Even in it's tight position I could estimate it's length to be close to two hundred feet long, more than twice the size of grown Blue Whale; the largest animal in the world.

Scattered around it were the indistinguishable rib cages of a number of marine animals, most had been gnawed on so much that they were stark white. A large metal chain hung from a collar around the beast's neck loosely, much like the loose collar most families place on a large but peaceful dog; simply for show.

It's massive side rose and feel fifty feet in the air with each massive breath it took and the area in front of its face was devoid of anything but a few pieces of charred bone. Every few exhales a plume of fire escaped its nose and rose the temperature in the cave a few degrees before its massive inhale cooled the air again.

It lazily cracked an eye open with Shiro and Fusao both broke out in good-natured laughter at the look of our stunned faces. Raising his head it turned it inquisitively to the left and let out a grumbled swoon sound to Shiro and Fusao. Both of them tried to recover but just ended up laughing harder as our faces stared at the over-sized pet. It's tongue lulled out in a pant and it shook along with them in what I could swear was a laugh.

Finally Shiro recovered enough to speak. "My friends I would like you to meet Koyuki. She is our daughter and the last of the monsters created from the clay of the earth."

"She is magnificent," Nicoló uttered astounded, his body shaking with reverence for Koyuki.

"It is unbelievable," was all I could say.

"We found Koyuki here in this cave four hundred years ago. She was but an egg then. We thought it to be nothing but a large stone and moved it to a large pile of wood left here by some ancient people to burn. We intended to use the cave to set up a home in away from humans." Shiro said smiling at her.

Fusao walked over to Koyuki and jumped nimbly up on her paw and began to scratch at the scaly skin behind her ears. "About an hour after we started the fire we hear large pops and cracks coming from it and Koyuki slithered out," Fusao yelled down at us.

"She was no smaller than a foot then." Shiro said softly.

"They grow up so fast," Nicoló joked keeping his eyes on the dragon.

Fusao jumped down and told Koyuki something in Japanese. Stretching out she stood up and we could really appreciate the sheer size of her body. It was long a narrow with four legs up front and six in the back. Each ended in sharp scaly flippers the size of hummer. Shaking slightly two wings unfolded themselves from her body and two smaller pairs from behind them. Her tail ended in a three pronged razor sharp trident.

"I understand why you don't need a plane now," Maggie said under her breath.

"No we won't be riding on her back, we will just have to hold on to her while she swims there. I think someone would notice a dragon flying across the Pacific with a bunch of vampires on her back," Shiro laughed. "Back to that matter, Carlisle I would like to make you an offer you would like."

"Please I would more than thankful for any help."

"Akio said you will be going to the Egyptians next?"

"Yes that is true."

"Why don't you take Hibiki with you? I'm sure with his ability even the Egyptians will have to succumb to reasoning."

I almost hugged Shiro with gratitude. I had actually thought about asking if I could take Hibiki with me just for the Egyptians. "Yes please, that would be fantastic," I answered losing all dignity.

Everyone laughed for a second before I defended myself with, "Well they are the Egyptians." The laughter stopped and everyone rolled their eyes in agreement.

"Well we had better get going, we need to prepare to leave now. Carlisle I do need to know where we can keep Koyuki."

I thought of that for a second before I remember the cliff area that Bella had jumped from just a few short months ago. The area around it was hard to get to, and I knew that if the Quileute's said so no body else would be able to go to it, not even the locals. "I have just the place," I said as we climbed the stairs into the starry night.

Taking advantage of the satellite phone I called Sam Uley and hoped that he would answer me.

"Hello?" A groggy voice answered.

"Sam this is Carlisle Cullen."

"Oh, oh hi Dr. Cullen. How are you? Have you convinced more vampires to help?" Sam said, the questions spilling out.

"I'm fine and yes we have just convinced another coven to join us. Have any of my children returned?"

"No sir, not yet." Sam replied solemnly.

"Ah well I am sure they will soon. How is my wife doing? I would ask her but she would just lie and tell it was all ok anyways," I asked chuckling.

"She is great. Three fourths of the pack is eating at your house now every day. It makes for some awkward moments to have nearly a dozen foreign vampires and around fifteen werewolves sitting around talking about the weather."

"I suppose it does. Listen Sam I need a large favor."

"What can I do?"

"Would it be possible for you to close off La Push to everyone, including the other Quileutes who are not pack members?"

"That won't be a problem, but why?" he asked wearingly.

"I'm not sure how to say this, but the Japanese coven is bringing a rather large pet, and it's gonna need it's privacy."

"What kind of pet."

"Well I guess it would be appropriate to call it a dragon." I mumbled quickly.

"A dragon?!" Sam yelped into the receiver. "Oh man this just gets better and better."

"Trust me I know how you're feeling."

"It won't be a problem Dr. Cullen. I will go close the beach now."

"Thank you Sam," I said with deep gratitude.

"Good luck Dr. Cullen. I hope to see you soon."

"Likewise, hopefully we will only be another few days. Look for the Japanese tomorrow around noon, they will come out of the water."

"Oh god," Sam mumbled. "Ok Dr. Cullen, see you soon." And with that we both hung up.

After resting the rest of the night and finishing the leftover bear blood I directed the Japanese towards Forks and Maggie, Nicoló, Hibiki, and I set off back for the mainland and the Egyptians.

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The meeting with the Egyptians went better than I had originally thought it would be. Adding Maggie and Hibiki to our ranks had indeed improved our ability to convince the Egyptians or our plight. Benjamin was the deciding factor in the entire decision to join us though. His intense feelings towards the issue of right and wrong won out and in the end of the Egyptians along with Hibiki and Maggie set off for Forks.

Nicoló and I decided that we would go the Amazonians alone. Both of us knew them personally and knew that they would be the easiest of all the covens to convince. We were right, we spent only a few hours with them before they agreed to join us. I believe that their personal experiences with the centaurs deep in the Amazon helped.

When sat out originally it had been decided that Nicoló and I would meet Edward and Sonam in Brasilia to discuss the best way to transport the centaurs if they had succeeded in convincing them to help us. We waited for a day before deciding that they would have to catch up.

I knew that we were needed in Forks now to organize the vampire covens, and to help prepare them for the arrival of the other magical creatures that would soon be depending on Forks as well. With a heavy heart I scanning the thick rainforest below us as our plane left Brazil and Edward and Sonam somewhere deep inside of it.

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Akio - Bright Man, Shiro – Samurai Male, Fusao – Wise Man, Hisa – Lasting, Hibiki – Echo, Koyuki – Little Snow.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Ok this is not Beta'd just a warning. Any stabs at other languages were made using an online translator so if I have actually just typed something horribly wrong kindly ignore it. Thank you everyone who has reviewed my story so wonderfully. Also don't kill me…but expect cliff hangers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Surprise surprise.

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Edward's POV

Besides me I felt Sonam tense as the bottom of the river boat hit another unknown object in the deep murky Amazon River below our feet. The guide gave us a weary glance and muttered a quite apology before turning his attention back to the wheel. He was clearly growing more and more uncomfortable with us the deeper we forged into the rain forest. We had paid more than he could make in five years for this trip, but I could tell he was regretting taking this job on. At the moment he was in fact mulling over the idea of pushing us into the river and high-tailing it back to his home. After all stupid foreigners would probably get lost and die out here anyways.

I cleared my throat loudly to get his attention and looked deep into his eyes, he started shaking like a leaf and instantly turned his attention back to the steering wheel and pushed heavily down on the throttle, sending us hurling through the river at twice the speed. Sonam's body tensed up again and he groaned miserably.

"You ok?" I asked smiling at him.

"I've been better," he replied stiffly, tightening his grip and crushing the metal bar that was serving as his arm rest.

I felt sorry for the poor guy, and I understood how he was feeling without even needing to look into his mind. Before we had parted ways with Carlisle and Nicoló in Sãu Paulo, we had decided that it would be best if Sonam restricted himself to the vegetarian lifestyle for the remainder of the trip. Most importantly for when we found the Centaurs, but also to remain undetected as we passed through strange vampire territory. The vampires in this region shared close ties with the warring groups in Mexico and fought with the same vigor.

"Are you ok?" He asked turning his face towards me.

"I've been better as well." I sighed, my thoughts as always returning to Bella the second my mind wasn't preoccupied.

"Would I be wrong if I guessed that there was history between Bella and yourself?"

"No, you would not be wrong," I sighed. "I loved her…love her even now. I could have had a chance at eternity with her, but I stupidly wasted it. All for the sake of saving her soul from this."

"Saving her soul from what?" Sonam asked softly.

"From being a monster. From having to survive off of death to live."

"Oh my friend," he said resting a hand on my shoulder. "Don't you realize that this is life for every being? As humans we relied on animals to feed us. The werewolves rely on humans and animals as well. The witches and elves eat all the same as humans. We are not damned. We are alive, just one of its many variations."

"Then you don't believe we are damned?"

"No I do not. I believe that the only beings that are damned are the ones who damn themselves."

"Hmm," I replied unable to come up with a reply. Sonam lapsed into uncomfortable silence again and rubbed his temple as the boat shook below us in the current.

Again the guide questioned this decision in his head and I realized that as much as I wanted him to levee us further down this massive river, it wasn't going to work. He would soon snap and that could be detrimental to not only us, but especially him seeing as Sonam had considered eating every few seconds now it seemed.

"Sonam?"

"Yes," he responded half-heartedly.

"I'm afraid we are going to have to make it the rest of the way on our own."

At this Sonam's brow furrowed and he looked at me slightly ashamed, "I did not actually plan to eat him."

I couldn't help but smile at the honesty in his voice and shook my head, "No I know you didn't. But I'm quite sure if we don't part ways with him soon he does intend to put some bullets in our heads and kick us into the river to be eaten by the fish."

"I'd like to see him try," he mused and then nodded at me in agreement.

The guide merely sat staring forwards during our conversation. He did not speak enough English to understand it he assumed we did not know any Portuguese. The fact that he couldn't understand us made him all the more nervous and I tapped him on the shoulder seconds before he reached down for the pistol between his legs.

The boat gave a lurch as he spun around quickly to face me. "Sim?" he asked, breathing heavy from the fright.

Smiling widely I motioned for him to kill the engine. He stared at me for a second weighing the pros and cons of turning off the engine and finally reached behind him and turned the key while he kept an eye on us. "Is something wrong?" He asked in broken English.

"Não há nada de errado. Obrigado por nos levar tão longe, mas meu companheiro e eu podemos seguir sozinhos daqui para frente." I replied smiling widely.

The guide stared at me open mouthed for a few seconds feebly trying to take in the fact that I had just spoken to him in Portuguese. Before he could form a sentence or pull out the gun, I stood up and put a foot on the side of the boat. "Adeus", I said putting my hand to my forehead before diving into the murky brown water. A second later I heard the splash of Sonam hitting the water, and the sound of the guide screaming at us.

I usually wouldn't condone messing with him like this, but in the past month I had lost the only person I would ever love and discovered that I was soon to take part in what I knew would be a deadly battle that would decide the future of the magical world. It felt good to laugh.

I could feel Sonam swimming besides in the murky water and was minutely aware of a number of meat eating fish brushing against my skin, grazing their teeth along it to no avail. Something pushed me and I started commanding my body to swim harder and faster, fighting against the heavy current of the Amazon River.

Sonam kept stride next to me pushing his body just as hard, and between strokes I caught him out of the corner of my eye, his dark exotic skin almost making him disappear in the murky water. I began to feel the water clearing out and realized we had inadvertently swum towards the bank. Stopping for a second to make sure that we had swam far enough from the guide I pushed my head through the water and pounced onto the jungle bank, followed by Sonam.

"Well that was invigorating," he said shaking his head wildly, spraying me with small droplets of water. "I believe we might have just terrified the guide."

"Well as my brother often says, 'Some kinds of working relationships are better motivated by fear than by monetary gain." I said chuckling as I stripped off my soaked shirt.

"Indeed, I did not know you spoke Portuguese though; you didn't say anything hurtful did you?" He asked almost as an after-thought.

"No I merely thanked him for his assistance and told him we could handle it from here."

"And where is here?" Sonam asked looking into the dark jungle.

"I'm not entirely sure," I said following his gaze.

"Well this is going to be fun," he said narrowing his eyes.

"Eh not to sound conceded but I don't think we have anything to fear from the big bad jungle," I said chuckling as I patted him on the back and stepping into the darkness.

No sooner then I had passed through the first row of trees when I felt the most painful agony I had ever felt in the last hundred years. Sonam gave out an identical scream of pain as my own. Looking down at my arm I saw a very long and barbed arrow made of some foreign metal sticking out of my arm. Another one ripped through leg and I fell to my knees in horror.

"Do not move Vampires," a very heavy voice said. Staring up I was met face to face with another armor piercing arrow. Looking around my eyes fell on close to twelve other tips. It took me a minute of staring at the arrows in heavy confusion before my gaze went up the arrow and I realized Sonam and I were now surrounded by more than a dozen Centaurs.

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Alice's POV

The intense cold surrounded my body like a blanket. Bella and I had been forging further North for almost three days and still could find no visible traces of the witch coven. The extreme cold we found on the ice shelf had slowed us down more than we ever could have foreseen.

I looked down into the basket seat of our sled where Bella lay curled up resting and not for the first time considered turning back. Bella was just as exhausted if not more than myself from pushing the sled and was intensely frustrated from the experience. I couldn't blame her for being upset. She was a newborn vampire by less than a month. Her body had changed to granite so recently that human feelings of weakness were still prevalent in her mind. This was supposed to solve the problems we had encountered in the past. Bella was no longer the weak frail person who needed protecting anymore. She could defend herself. And her she was, supposed to be invincible and now sapped out of her new found energy. Cold, wet, and exhausted did not suit Bella as a human. But as a vampire it down right pissed her off.

I wasn't anywhere near happy with the situation either, but I was desperately trying hard to now let it show. The intense cold was a bigger problem than we could have possibly imagined. Our bodies had been created by natural design for moving and thriving in the intense heat of the ancient African plains. No vampire had ever bothered to go this far North. And why should we have. There was no food source here. We did not notice the cold in Forks or even in Denali because it had made such a minute difference. But it was now clearly a different story.

The temperature was close to ten degrees below zero here and it was making our body's, whose temperatures were already so cold freeze. We had decided to travel light because we had stupidly not taken the weather into a bit of consideration. We had bought a dog sled in Alert, Canada and set out taking turns pushing it at a run while the other sat in the basket, it had seemed like a great plan but after only a few hours we realized that we were each pushing slower and slower on our turns.

To make matter words we had originally decided to forgo feeding as well. It was partly to save time, but it was mostly because resources were limited out here on the polar ice and Carlisle didn't think it would be wise for us to kill the few endangered polar bears that were here to begin with.

That had also been a great plan on paper, but we had barely forged a hundred miles out onto the ice before we had exhausted ourselves so badly that we pounced on the first polar bear we came upon.

We were now according to my compass about a mile from the true North Pole. Bella stretched in the basket in front of me and stiffened.

"What is it? We don't have to switch for a while."

"I smell a polar bear," she said biting her bottom lip and looking up at me.

I was momentarily dumbstruck by the unreal image that was Bella at that moment. Her eyes still tinged with red stood out against her ivory white skin. Her chocolate hair framed it like a master painting, and was flecked with large snowflakes.

"So?" Bella asked expectantly.

"Oh," I said snapping out of my reverie. "Yah we should probably go towards it, we need to eat."

"Do you want to leave the sled here?" She asked unfolding herself from it and standing up to join me in the blistering cold.

"I guess," I said nodding. "I'll stake it in, why don't you go ahead and get it?"

"Are you sure?" She said nervously, surveying the blinding white of the ice shelf that stretched outwards beyond even our vision.

"Yah, I'll be fine. Go get dinner women." I said teasingly kissing her on the tip of her nose.

"Yes ma'am," she said smiling for the first time in days.

As she disappeared into the blanket of white snow falling heavily I leant over quickly jamming stakes into the ice and securing our sled to the ground. Just as I slammed in the last one I felt my vision begin to blur as a vision came to me. It was weak but just clear enough for me to make out.

Bella was falling, and not in the Bella way. I saw her set her foot down gently on the ice as she trained her eyes on the unsuspecting polar bear that was eating a fish pulled fresh from a root hole in the ice. She sat another foot out and ice underneath it splintered and gave way into darkness, pulling her down with it. My vision returned and I realized I was already running to my Bella.

I was there in less then a second. In the huge expanse of ice it was hard not to miss the gaping black hole that had just sucked up my reason for living. I glanced for less than a second before I jumped head first into the hole. Even if it led to hell I was going to follow Bella to the bottom.

I straightened out my body and put my arms over my head as I screamed out Bella's name. Below me pitch blackness came hurtling up, I could see no end to this pit. I heard Bella screaming my name and tried desperately to will myself through the air. Finally I made out the outline of Bella hurtling towards the darkness, her body going down feet first while she desperately clawed upwards, trying to grab on to nothing.

I felt my body come closer to hers and finally I felt our fingers touch. Bella latched on and I tried to turn my still falling body around. Above me I could no longer see the opening we come through, yet Bella was becoming more and more visible.

"I think we're coming close to the bottom," Bella screamed as warm air rushed past our ears.

"Bella I love you!" I screamed pulling her close to me and wrapping my arms around her protectively.

"I love you!" She screamed into the crook of my neck.

All around us the ice glistened like slick glass and I was afraid to look down in case I really would be met with a vision of the devil himself. Miraculously I felt our bodies begin to move slower and slower. I peaked down and saw the ground hurtling at us at what despite our dwindling speed seemed to be an alarming rate. Closing my eyes I kissed Bella hard on the top of her head as I felt our bodies slam into the rock hard ground.

We both lie still and silent. I began to wonder whether this was what the afterlife for a vampire was when I heard the strong but feminine sound of someone clearing their voice.

I opened my eyes as Bella opened hers and each of us stared at a second more before turning our heads to the sound. Standing over us stood close to twenty women. Each with skin whiter than snow and hair to match. Each woman was ordained in a golden Greek style toga and wore golden head bands. The tallest one standing in the middle of the group stepped forwards and looked down at me smiling.

"The question is, are you a good witch or a bad witch," she said, her frosty blue eyes reflecting our shock.

We had not found the White Witches, we had instead in true Bella style fallen onto them.

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Jacob's POV

Seth and I both struggled profusely with our duffle bags as we tried to remove our long sleeve shirts when we stepped out into the hot humid air outside of the airport. Aniella chuckled patiently and moved to help Seth remove his, which had become tangled around his neck. It was unbearably hot here, especially seeing as Seth and my own internal temperatures were already a number of degrees higher than the normal human.

Our shared ancestry had insured that we would be well-suited for the cool climate of the Northern-Pacific, not for the blistering heat of the African savanna we now found ourselves in. Finally my frustration got the better of me and ripped the sweater in half, completely oblivious to the wild stares of the passersbys.

"Better?" Aniella asked picking the torn sweater from the ground and thumbing at the fabric slightly annoyed.

"Very much so," I said sheepishly looking at the ruined sweater she had gifted me less than a few weeks ago. "Sorry."

Sighing she tossed it into a waste bin and shrugged, "No biggie it actually only cost two dollars, I just transformed it anyways."

"Of course you did," I grumbled while Seth tried to smother a laugh. Aniella's gift had become something of a sore spot between us every since I had discovered her changing Seth's grade on his report card before he showed it to Sue. While I didn't appreciate how flippantly she used it, she had become Alice and Rose's best friend with the ability to turn a regular tank top into a piece of designer clothing that wasn't supposed to debut beyond the Italian runway for another year.

"So," Seth started throwing his arms over our shoulders. "Where to first?"

Pushing his blazing hot arm off my shoulder I scanned the busy street in front of us. The scene that met my gaze looked like a carefully choreographed disaster. People rushed past us yelling in at least three different languages. Out on the street busted up taxies rushed pass busses packed so tightly people rode on the tops. Weaving in and out of the traffic were men on motorcycles, a few wearing helmets, and few carrying armloads while holding on with one pinky. The motorcyclists reminded me of Bella's earlier attempts at mastering her own bike.

"We're supposed to be meeting a guide that will take us to the Tasad that the Cullen's lawyer hooked us up with."

"Is that him?" Seth said pointing at a very decrepit looking Oldsmobile. Leaning up against stood a man smiling widely holding a sign that read Wolfe. He caught our eyes and motioned us towards him.

"I believe so," I said pulling my duffle bag over my shoulder and pushing our way through the crowd.

"Mr. Jacob Wolfe?" he asked in a thick but pleasant accent.

"That would be me," I said extending a hand.

"Hello, hello welcome to Africa," he said shaking my hand back. "So this would be Mr. Seth and the beautiful Ms. Aniella then?" he said smiling at Seth and Aniella in turn.

"This it is," I said pulling back my hand.

"Excellent, how about we pile in and I take you three to the hotel?"

"Actually we are on a time crunch; we hoped we would be going to the Tasad tonight." I said looking from Seth and Aniella and back to him.

"Of course, of course. Mr. Jenks just had me book a room so you could freshen up after your flight, but we can just go on now if you would prefer?" He said eyeing the briefcase Aniella held for the first time and then looking around the street nervously.

"What do you guys think?" I asked taking the briefcase from Aniella silently and tucking it under my arm.

"I say we go shower." Aniella said pointedly.

"Yah and I need to eat," Seth added.

"You always need to eat," I said rolling my eyes and turning back to the guide. "I think we will take you up on that offer. We need to recharge for a few hours Mr…uh?"

"Mr. Osea, but please just call me Jay."

"Right Jay," I said motioning to the car with my eyes.

"Oh right," he said standing up straight and opening the door behind him. "Just a warning I would hold on," he said slipping into the driver's seat.

The warning was definitely not an empty one. Jay shifted us into gear and we shot off into the traffic like a bullet, hurtling forwards at seventy mph as we tried to dodge the massive busses and speeding taxis. We drove in and out of the traffic for about fifteen minutes before it finally started to slow and spread out. Finally Jay pulled the car up to a small hotel that actually looked quite modern compared to its surroundings. Jay directed us to our room and pledged to return soon with some food as he eyed the suitcase.

Aniella and I took our showers first and let Seth go last. While he showered we sat patiently on the bed waiting for Jay to return with our food. Every few seconds my eyes drifted to the briefcase to check for the umpteenth time that it was safe. There were five-hundred thousand American dollars tucked into that sucker for us to give to Jay when he dropped us off safely at the Tasad village.

I stood up from my seat on the bed and picked it up tucking it under my arm protectively.

"You know it's not gonna walk away right?" Aniella said smiling at my expense.

"Well I'm not gonna have someone come in and rob us. We're in a strange country with a half a million dollars," I said irritated whispering the last part.

Aniella sighed and smiled at me like I was a small child irrationally dragging my teddy bear to school with me incase my house caught on fire. "Baby, I love you. And please do not be mad, because this was Carlisle and Nicoló's ideal not mine."

"What?" I asked frowning.

"If someone stole that briefcase from us they would find a half a million dollars in monopoly money."

"What?!" I yelped throwing the case down on the bed and popping the buttons. Just as she had said I was met with a briefcase full of red, green, and blue pieces of paper. "Oh god what is this?" I asked rubbing my temple.

Aniella walked up from behind me and slipped her arms around me and stretched to kiss me on the back of my neck. "Baby we're in a strange country. Don't you see the wisdom in not carrying around a half a million dollars on our person? Don't worry. I will trans the money just as soon as we reach the Tasad safely. Jay will have his money and we will be safe."

I sighed deeply, knowing that what she was saying was true. Indeed I felt a tremendous burden had been lifted off my shoulders and I turned around to kiss the top of her head. "You know what?" I asked chuckling.

"What?"

"This can not be good for inflation."

"True that," she said laughing back at me.

Feeling extremely light hearted now I happily finished off my share of food Jay brought us a while later. After a few minutes of small talk we all agreed now would be time to leave and piled back into Jay's little car.

With the worry of the money off my mind I actually enjoyed seeing the city as we drove back through the crazy traffic. People seemed happier here, smiling and waving as we pressed our heads out the windows and smiled back. Eventually we left the city behind us and were driving out on the open road. We passed through a number of small villages and hamlets, stopping once to refill and to Jay's amazement eat again.

The sun was just beginning to dip in the sky when Jay pulled off of the road at a small gas station. I looked at his tank gauge which was full and looking wearingly at Seth and cleared my throat. "What's up?" I asked pulling the briefcase closer to me out of instinct.

"No worries my friends, we simply need to change vehicles," he said laughing and jumping out of the drivers side. "There is no paved roads going to the Tasad, indeed there is hardly a dirt one."

"Oh ok," I said relaxing once again as he led us to a tough looking black jeep that was jacked up close to four feet off the ground.

"Shotgun!" Seth yelled clambering up the side to the front passenger's seat. Shaking my head at him I laughed before crawling up into the back seat.

"Do you need help my lady?" Jay said extending a knee for Aniella.

"I'm good," she said sweetly jumping up into her seat.

Jay looked at her in shock for a few seconds before letting out a laugh. "Tell me are all American's gymnasts?"

"Nope just the cool ones," Seth laughed extending a hand down to him.

"Thank you," he laughed, allowing Seth to pull him into the driver's seat.

Jay had not been kidding when he said the ride was rough. After another mile on the paved road we pulled off onto a small dirt road that was overgrown. The dirt was loosely packed and the only visible sign that it had ever been used were a few pieces of grass broken here and there. "I came here the night before last to tell them you were coming," Jay said navigating us over a mound of dirt. "I work with the Tasad very loosely whenever they need any legal counseling."

"Thank you for telling them. I was afraid they would feel a little ambushed by us."

"No worries, I am curious about why you need to speak to them," he said looking at me in the rear view mirror.

"It's kind of a personal matter." I said back resting a hand on the briefcase sitting between Aniella and myself.

"Enough said," he said looking at the briefcase before turning his eyes back to the open ground.

We drove on the path for close to two hours all the while it got darker and darker. Every once in a while we saw animals from our high perch in the air. It was definitely an experience to look out of the car and see zebras running in a herd. About an hour from the village the three of us noticed an extremely strong smell. It wasn't bad, just sort of musky. Looking at Jay it was obvious he was oblivious to it so we did not mention it out loud. Craning my neck around I caught the flash of what looked like a large male lion running through the tall bush. At first I didn't think anything of it until I saw another flash on the other side of the car. This time it looked female.

"I think we're being followed," I whispered low enough for only Aniella and Seth to hear.

"We are, it's the Tasad I think," Aniella whispered back.

Nodding I kept and eye out the side, catching glimpses occasionally of them. We reached the village close to 10pm. It was a small glow in the distance at first that slowly got brighter and brighter as we neared it. When we finally got close enough to see it was obvious they were prepared for us. The village was larger than it had at first appeared, and close to a hundred or so people was clearly visible as we pulled into a large clearing lit up by torches and a large bonfire.

"This is where I say goodbye my friends," Jay said smiling genuinely at me.

"Thank you for your help Jay," I said handing the briefcase quickly to Aniella who smiled sweetly and handed it to Jay.

Jay smiled and clicked open the button peeking inside quickly. His smile grew even wider and he laughed to himself. "And thank you! I hope your personal matter goes in your favor."

"So do we," I said jumping out of the vehicle and giving a small salute as his jeep pulled out and left us behind.

"Alright let's do this," I said calmly and turned around to face the Tasad.

________________________________________________________________________

Rosalie's POV

Emmett roared with laughter as he steered the Arctic Humvee over a large mound of snow, sending a waddle of penguins a scatter. "Slow down," I screamed at him for the hundredth time as we skidded across yet another ice patch.

"Come on babe, we're only going like eighty."

"Yah we're only going eighty in a stolen five million dollar government vehicle across an Arctic Ice Shelf you idiot!" I yelled hitting him hard against the head.

"Fine," he growled pouting and slowing down to seventy-five.

Crossing my arms I looked out the window and sighed, my thoughts once again returning to Alice and Bella. I knew that as bad as we were getting it they were getting it ten times worse. We had gotten only fifty miles from Berkner Island on our jet skis before we had realized that we were going to freeze if we didn't find a different way to make it to the Elfen community. The temperate was close to thirty degrees below zero and the strong artic winds made it feel closer to fifty, after only an hour our fingers began to get stiff on the handle bars of the jet skis. We knew that there is no way the cold could of killed us, but it could very well have frozen us solid, and I couldn't imagine a worse hell than sitting on a remote arctic ice shelf frozen solid, unable to move, and unable to die.

I knew that the temperature in the North Pole was at least twenty degrees warmer, but I also knew that they did not have the vehicle we had managed to steal from a Swedish base that was deserted for the winter. I also knew that the ice shelves they had to cross were infinitely thinner than the one we were currently tearing across. One wrong move and they could fall though the ice and freeze. I let out an empty laugh as I thought about Bella's aversion to cold and wet.

Emmett must have sensed my worry because he rested his hand on my knee and squeezed it tightly, "They will be ok. Alice isn't going to let anything happen to Bella and vice versa."

I twisted my fingers in his strong hand and returned the squeeze, "You've been taking mind reading lessons from Edward?"

"I wished," he laughed. "No I just know you. You might love putting on your bitch show, but you're a softy even when it comes to Bella. I think you love her just as much as we all do now."

I scoffed light heartedly at him and rolled my eyes, "She's family now, and I have to like her."

"That you do," he said smiling and revving up the engine.

"You're such a kid sometimes," I laughed looking at the speedometer which had returned to eighty.

"Gotta get there fast you know. I bet Edward we would return with the Elves before him and Sonam even got to the Centaurs."

"You would bet on something like that." I said rolling my eyes. "Honey do you even know where we are going."

"Erm yah…that way." He said pointing randomly in the distance.

"Oh I love you," I said kissing him on the cheek as I reached behind his seat and grabbed the map and began trying to find the coordinates Nicoló had given us.

"I hope they have animals in this Utopia of theirs," Emmett said rubbing his stomach. For once I had to agree with him. There was no food down here except for the odd penguins, and they tasted strongly of fish and did little to really fill us up. "I still think we should have eaten those dogs," Emmett grumbled, referring to a pack of sled dogs we had seen at the American base before we passed it up to find one that wasn't still inhabited by humans.

"Oh shut up," I said blindly punching him in the arm. "You know you wouldn't have been able to eat one of them."

"Ah you're right. I just can't do it now that we're friends with Jake and Aniella. I would just see their big ole puppy eyes."

"Awe my big old softy," I said this time stroking the spot I had just punched.

"Shut up," he grumbled. "So, are we there yet?" He asked motioning towards the map.

"We should be there in a few minutes," I said scanning the white void in front of us clueless.

"What did Nicoló say about this place anyways?"

"He said that he was just blankly searching for it and ran into it."

"Oh man, I hope this isn't one of those things where it fucking moves around."

"That only happens in comic books and movies," I said desperately searching the horizon.

"Really baby?" he said slowing down and parking this Humvee all the while looking at me like I was insane.

"What?"

"We're two vampires who just stole a gigantic Humvee from a foreign government so we could track down a group of Elves and ask them to join us in a war for control of the magical world because the Mother of ALL Creation gave us a heads up. And you doubt whether Elves can move around a secret base across Antarctica to avoid detection?"

"Yes," I said nodding my head in wonder as I stared out the window at a gigantic castle made entirely out of ice.

"Unbelievable," he huffed.

"Baby."

"What?"

"Shut up and look out the window."

Emmett sighed and followed my gaze and quickly jumped backwards in his seat as the large drawbridge was lowered and five of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen strode out on snow white majestic winged horses.

"Well…we found em." Emmett said giving a small wave to the Elves.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: To everyone hoping this chapter would alleviate the cliffhangers…sorry to disappoint…well really I'm not because I'm kind of evil…but this will not do that. LOL

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or anything from it. But he all the original characters are mine. LOL

Jasper's POV

I gave a small jump as the door opened quickly and Charlotte slid into the passenger's seat of the car. I had been lost in my own thoughts, worrying about how the rest of my family was fairing on their own missions. I had left and taken Charlotte with me less than a few hours after we returned from Jenks, and well before anyone else.

I was looking for the American nomads with the help of Charlotte, and so far we had been less than successful. I had been out of touch for too long with all of them. Nomads are very different from coven members, and I had obviously taken that fact for granted. So far we had not been able to find anyone, but we were on the trail of a couple that Charlotte said she and Peter had traveled with occasionally over the past few years from time to time.

Bringing my mind back to the present I turned to Charlotte who was quickly changing into another shirt. "Can we go now?" I asked slightly irritated.

"Yes, I'm sorry Jasper," she said tossing the bloody shirt out the window and looking at me abashedly with her ruby eyes.

"No, I'm sorry," I said morosely. "It is not your burden to bare that I have become vegetarian."

"No it is not, but after all we have been through I should be thoughtful enough to not jump in here covered in human blood when I know you have not eaten in a few days."

"I will soon," I said glancing at the map. "We're about a day or so away from Yellowstone Park and I'm certain I'll be able to hunt there." At that I turned the key in the ignition and backed the large S.U.V. out of the ally. "Did you find any signs of your friends?"

"I did. We are definitely close; I found one of there kills." She said nonchalantly as I shivered at the blasé attitude she had towards the loss of human life. "Sorry again," she said quietly.

"Let's just find your friends," I said gripping the steering wheel tightly and trying to regain my composure. It was so hard being this close to Charlotte now. Her moods ran the gambit from an intense feeling of loss over Peter, to a murdering vengefulness that she exorcized on her victims. Besides her mood there was the fact that she was a normal well fed vampire whose body was filled with human blood. Coupled with the fact that I had not eaten properly in the last three or four days, the burn in the back of my throat was nearly unbearable.

"Why are you torturing yourself Jasper?" Charlotte said gently resting a hand on my shoulder. "I can feel your pain, you need to eat something."

I shot her a reproachful look and trained my eyes on the road in front of me, trying hard to calm myself. "I will eat when there is available quarry."

"Look out your window Jazz. There is quarry out there." She said pointing towards a group of teenagers who stood crowded around the tailgate of a truck. They were happy right now, I could feel that.

"I've given up that aspect of life Charlotte and I don't intend to go back to it." I said slowly. I knew that she was trying to help. I could feel real pity and worry rolling off of her in waves; there truly was nothing malicious about her suggestion. "I have gone longer than a few days without eating, and I could handle a million years if it meant sticking to my principles." And with that I took her hand of my shoulder and kissed it softly, laying it back on her lap.

"Oh Jasper, always sticking to your principals," she groaned in a clearly teasing manners.

"Well someone has to," I said chuckling at her dramatics. "Now back to the matter of hand, these friends you said we were close to them?"

"Definitely, they are still in the area I would guess."

"Were you able to pick up on a scent trail?"

"No but I think if we drive around a while I should be able too," she said rolling down her window slightly, letting the smells of the city permeate our senses. As we drove around aimlessly we passed through the largely abandoned industrial area of the city. Coming out of the dark decrepit buildings the smell of the city's homeless attacked the back of my throat tickling it. This was the idea area for a small group of nomadic vampires on the hunt. I wanted to stop breathing so badly I had been reduced to short shallow breaths that even still threatened my sanity.

I was seconds away from asking Charlotte if she could handle searching on her own for a while when finally the strong scent of another vampire drew itself down my throat. Acting quickly I pulled the S.U.V. to the side of the street and ripped the parking meter out of the ground, tossing it out of site. To my side Charlotte stood sniffing the air deeply while trying to hold back her laughter as she looked at me smiling.

"What is so funny," I said joining her.

"You are hunting strange vampires through a strange city and you are worried about getting a parking ticket," she said giving in and doubling over in laughter.

"Well I don't have to be Alice to know that the cops might not take the explanation very well," I said smiling in spite of myself and taking a deep breath.

"No I suppose they wouldn't," she giggled gaining control of her self and straightening back up. "That is Louis." She said taking a deep breath as well. "And he's moving," she said taking off quickly down a dark alley.

I followed behind her in step breathing hard as we pushed our stone bodies forwards. As we ran I could feel the excitement coursing through her body, it was the same with mine. Suddenly I felt like I had never left Peter and Charlotte so long ago, in mind for a second I was once again on the hunt with my old friends. Besides our excitement I could feel happiness and misery in equal parts coming out of the dark buildings surrounding us. It was also coupled with the fear and confusion at the few humans who happened to glance out the window at that second to see two identical blurs vanish.

As we turned another corner I was hit with the scent of another three vampires, a male and two females. "I smell three more," I gasped to Charlotte as we both stopped quickly, pushing our backs against a wall covered in urban graffiti.

"I know," she whispered peering around the corner. "I can smell Adam and Wendy, but I don't recognize the other girl."

"Whoever she is, she is with your friends. Could they have added her to their group?"

"I don't know. Four is a lot for a nomad coven. Can you feel them?"

"Yes they are close, and I believe they are aware of us. They are mostly curious but just as cautious as we are. They must smell you and me."

As if on cue the light in the ally flickered as someone passed in front of it silently. The smell of the four nomads was now spread out around us as thick as a blanket and I could hear their own soft breathing. They were all curious, all except for one whose body was radiating fear. In spite of that though I could feel something powerful coming from the fearful one, she was strong, probably only just a few months old. "Charlotte?" Came the soft whisper of a male with a deep Brooklyn accent.

"It's me Louis," Charlotte whispered back slowly stepping out into the alley.

Directly across from us a tall male with dark black hair stepped out of the shadows, his hands were held up in a peaceful but defensive manner and he walked just as slow as Charlotte. On one side of him stood another male shorter than even myself who looked to be close to the human age of fifteen with curly red hair. On his other side stood a girl with blonde hair that was cut in a style popular during the fifties to "squares," "Where is Peter?" the one with the dark black hair asked straining his eyes over her shoulder to where I stood still in the shadows.

"He's….he's gone," Charlotte said her voice breaking in spite of herself.

"I'm so sorry," Louis said stepping forwards and pulling her into a soft hug but still keeping his eyes trained to me. Over his shoulder Charlotte did the same thing to the darkness behind him. "Who did it?" he said darkly stepping away from her.

"That is why I am here. But first lets get this over with," she said slowly. "Do you remember Peter and I mentioning a vampire named Jasper?" she asked motioning for me to step forwards.

"Yes, yes I do," he said looking at me curiously as I stepped out of the shadows. "I'm guessing that would be him?"

"You would be guessing correctly," I said extending my hand slowly. He took my hand and shook it firmly, looking quizzically into my burnt amber eyes.

"Well look at those eyes," he said smiling easing the tension considerably. "I have heard about the Cullens but I never fully could wrap my head around the concept. You really don't eat humans then?" he asked with no hint of malcontent.

"I really don't," I responded simply.

"Well that is something. I am Louis, and the carrot top to my left is Adam, and this Wendy," he said nodding to the other two who had stepped out.

"I've introduced you to my friend, now who is yours?" Charlotte said turning her attention back to the alley.

"I'm sorry where are my manners?" Louis said, turning around. "Britney its ok, come out."

A young girl stepped slowly out of the shadows and looked at us through hooded onyx black eyes. Fear was rolling off of her in waves and despite her obvious strength she appeared weak, like she had not eaten ever. She looked at me carefully and her attention was drawn to my own amber eyes. I could feel the cold breath in my lungs freeze with her scent that stopped the burning in my throat. Charlotte cleared her throat next to me and I was snapped out of my reverie. Quickly I reached out my hand to take her slowly and tried to push some calming vibes at her.

"There's that ability Charlotte told us so much about," Louis said laughing.

"How do you do that?" Britney asked reaching out and touching my hand slowly.

"Just an ability I happen to have," I said smiling at her.

"I have something like that," she said smiling shyly and taking her hand back to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. "I can heal people who are hurt."

"My father is like that, he's actually a doctor."

"Wait a human doctor?" Louis said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Yep, a human doctor."

"Wow I've heard rumors about that but I never really thought it was true. How can he handle being around all that blood?"

"Carlisle has extreme control. He is almost two hundred years old and has never taken one drop of human blood into his mouth to feed."

"You really eat animals then?" Britney said looking at my curiously, her attention once more drawn to my eyes.

"I do, I don't have nearly as much control of myself as Carlisle, but since I have joined his family I haven't."

"Why not?"

"It's kind of complicated. I can feel my victim's feelings to put it bluntly though."

"Britney here has never eaten human," Louis said resting an arm around her shoulder, for a second I felt an uncontrollable surge of jealousy run through my veins, but it was followed by a feeling of brotherly love surging through Louis. I stood still for a second thinking about my quick outpouring of feelings and pressed them to the back of my mind as the words Louis had just said sunk in.

"Never?" I asked looking at Britney.

"I will not be a monster," Britney said quietly.

"How about did you come into existence?" I asked clueless looking from her to Louis.

"I'm not sure, I remember walking home from work one night and then I felt like I was drowning in fire. When I woke up I was with Louis." At that I looked at Louis, wondering if he knew any more than she did.

"Before you ask we are just as clueless. We were in the area hunting when I heard her screaming. Usually I would have ignored it, but my curiosity got the best of me and I went to investigate. When I found her she was in the middle of changing, her body was completely dry to. I don't think the vampire that fed on her intended to change her. I think her natural heeling ability must have saved her. That was about a month ago."

"That is remarkable. And you haven't eaten at all, you must have amazing self-control" I said looking to her. "I think that my father would probably love to meet you."

"I would love to meet him." She said smiling at me.

"So, now that introductions are out of the way I have to ask, Charlotte why have you been tracking us these past few days? And what happened to Peter?" Louis asked looking from me to Charlotte.

"We have a very long story to tell you and not very much time to tell it," she said looking at me.

"Is there anywhere we can go?" I asked my mind returning to the task at hand.

"I'm afraid we don't keep a house," Louis said smiling at me good naturedly.

"No I don't suppose you do," I said realizing how stupid that question had been. "Let's go get in our car; we'll get a hotel room."

"Is this really that serious?"

"I'm afraid it's more serious than you can imagine." I said turning and leading the way out of the dark alley.

We drove out of city for thirty minutes in silence until I found a cheap motel that was deserted except for ours and two other cars. After paying at the desk I quickly located our room and ushered the rest into it quickly. I was prepared for the throat burning smell that usually accompanied hotel rooms but it was apparent no one had been in this room for quite a while.

"Very posh," Wendy joked sitting down on one of the beds and pulling Britney over to sit with her.

"A lot nicer that the abandoned buildings we usually shack up in," Louis said laughing and pulling up the two stained chairs that surrounded a small dingy table.

"It will do," I said grimacing at a dark stain on the bedspread.

"I suppose it will," Louis said chuckling. "So what has set you two after us?"

I sat silent for a moment collecting my own thoughts, arranging them in order to tell the story as affectively as possible. Once I began to speak though the facts began spilling out of me carefully as the others sat silently, listening and trying hard to grasp the massive amount of information I was unloading onto them. When I produced the cassette carrying Adero's prophecy, the silence dropped even more as everyone simultaneously stopped breathing. Adero's voice wavered out from the tape recorder slowly; managing to send chills up all of our spines, even my own.

Charlotte took over when I was two thirds of the way done and explained that Peter and herself had been rounded up by vampires that they thought were part of the Volturi coven. She explained about being brought blind folded to Seattle and given the ultimatum to fight with Victoria and Jane, or die. When she got to the part where Peter was killed her voice cracked and invisible tears threatened to spill over her eyes. Adam moved from his spot on the chair to take Wendy into his arms as she shook distraughtly over the loss of a close friend.

I took control then and told them the rest of the story. How my family was spread around the globe right now, trying to align allies on our side so the coming war would not end in our destruction. I knew here that I would have a hard time gaining their allegiance. Victoria was not unknown to them and I figured they would have a hard time seeing how the breaking up of the Volturi would not benefit them. I surprised though when Louis leant forwards during my plea for their help and put a hand on my own.

"You can stop right there Jasper. You do not have to convince me to fight against the person responsible for Peter's death. While I admit the Volturi were not my favorite organization, they served a vital role in our world. Our laws must be upheld, I can not speak for the others in this group, but I will go to Washington with you and fight along side werewolves and any number of magical creatures if it protect them."

"That goes for me as well," Adam said solemnly.

"And me," Wendy added.

"I don't know a lot about this world yet, but I know that I have to live in it forever now. Might as well start off on the right foot," Britney said smiling at me.

"Then it is settled, we will go back to Forks immediately," I said standing up quickly and looking at the group in front of me, trying my hardest to imbue them all with the confidence I now felt.

"Jasper." Charlotte said looking at me severely.

"What?" I asked clueless as to what I had done.

"You are eating first. We are heading from here to that reserve and then back to Forks."

"I think I can get behind that," I said smiling warmly at her.

"Can I come with you?" Britney asked slowly.

"If you would like you most definitely can."

"I would."

"Ok," I said smiling back her dumbly.

"Right," Charlotte said snapping her fingers in front of my face. "Reserve first then Forks." And with that the six of us left the hotel room, to head back to Forks. Back to the brewing war.


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: So I know its been hella long since I updated but I have been without my laptop for two months sadly as it attempted to die on me. So yay I'm back hopefully I can get the rest of this beast out of my head quickly for you guys. So yah! COMMENT PLEASE I'M A SHAMELESS ATTENTION WHORE!!!

Disclaimer: All props go to Stephanie Meyers. Except the centaurs. They belong to me. Maniacal laugh.

Edward's POV

My arm and leg throbbed in pain as I shuffled my feet aimlessly, trying my best to keep up the pace that the centaurs had set. Next to me Sonam grunted in identical pain, struggling to keep up as well. Small dots blurred my vision making it hard to see clearly, and my head swam in confusion. I could hear Sonam's thoughts beside me, but I only heard a faint ringing when I tried to concentrate on one of our captors. I suspected the large helmets made out of the same metal as the arrows they all wore atop their heads were somehow blocking me

We had spent a tense ten minutes or so at the bank of the river before the centaurs had lowered their weapons and demanded to know what why we had trespassed into their territory. I had scarcely been able to overcome the pain I was unaccustomed to long enough to sputter a few words out, trying desperately to convey we meant no harm and needed to talk to them.

Quickly I was cut off by the tallest of them, and obviously the leader of this group. "Silence leeches, I did not ask for lies. Why are you here, you have breached the treaty."

Always with name calling I thought to myself and for a moment I almost smiled. "I do not lie," I said through gritted teeth. "We are not from this area and did not realize we were breaching a treaty. We have to talk to you, all of you."

"Lies!" A shorter stout centaur with a scar across his eye yelled, raising his spear to the cheering of the others.

"Silence Brok," the leader demanded, shifting his massive hooves inches from my fingers.

The stout one glared at us but lowered his spear none the less, "They speak lies Grueve, we should kill them now and be done with it!"

"And you are privy to your opinion Brok, but that is all it is. We will take them to my father and he may decide their fate. Get on your feet vampires!" He boomed down at us.

"Please, the arrows," I groaned.

"Craw, remove the arrows and tie them together," Grueve said tossing a shimmering rope to a younger looking centaur and stepping back away from us.

"Don't move," Craw said kneeling down on his front legs in front of me. He quickly put both hands on the arrow sticking out from the front of my leg and snapped it in half. Putting a hand on my calf he started to slowly remove the arrow from my leg, as the end of it passed out I hissed in pain and he looked up at my face.

A look of confusion registered on his face and his mouth dropped open slightly. "Your eyes," he said slowly. "They are not red."

"What?" Grueve said stepping closer and kneeling down as well. "Explain," he said severely looking into my golden eyes.

"I…we," I corrected myself nodding towards Sonam, "do not feed off humans. Only animals."

"Why?" Grueve asked his brow furrowing.

"Because we do not damn ourselves," I said, my eyes flitting to Sonam and then back to Grueve.

"It could be a trick," Brok said prancing nervously in place.

"It is like Nerog said it would be though," Craw said looking from my eyes to Sonam's. "The darker ones eyes are even ringed with red. Nerog said they would be."

He added looking at Grueve and then at me.

Grueve sat in front of me for another few seconds, his face masked in thought. "Why are you here vampires?" he asked not bothering to look at me.

"We have been given a message by Adero. We need your allegiance."

"What kind of message," he asked quickly his head snapping back to me.

"There will be a war soon."

"Fight on the side of vampires!" Brok said stomping his hooves. "Now I know they are lying."

"Yes," I said keeping my eyes locked on Grueve. "Fight with us, and against other vampires."

"Why should a fight between vampires concern us," Grueve asked deftly.

"Because this is not like any other fight there has ever been. The Volturi has been destroyed. The vampires who have done it intend to take control, and they will not stop at controlling other vampires. They want absolute power; they want absolute control of every living creature. They will come here and they will not be alone."

"And who will be with them?" Brok asked pointedly.

"Quite Brok!" Grueve roared and turned his attention back to me. "Who will fight with them?"

"They are recruiting for their side from the dark hand of Adero, the unnamed, demons, and werewolves to start with."

"Those the world has cast out as wicked," Grueve said more to himself than me.

"Yes," I said catching his gaze.

"Craw, take out the rest of there arrows and bandage there wounds. We must go at once," he said rising up. From the corner of my eye I saw Brok make to decent but we he was cut off by a wave of Grueve's hand. "Anyone wishing to question my judgment will feel my arrows."

Craw quickly moved his hands to the arrow in my arm and removed it in the fashion he had removed the one from my leg. Shifting slightly he repeated the action, removing the arrow from Sonam's shin. "I am sorry, but you will have to wait until the village before I can bandage them properly, "he said breaking the tips off of the arrows and throwing away the shafts.

"Those are very impressive arrows," Sonam said wincing as we both rose off the grounds.

"My grandfather the Nerog said they were gifted to us by the witches. We used to be protectors of humans in ancient times, before they turned against us of us as," he said thoughtfully thumbing the arrow heads before storing them in a pouch.

"Alright runt, don't give them all of our secrets," Brok said pushing us each from behind. "Start walking leeches" he grunted angrily.

Sonam and I stumbled quickly along in the middle of the group, ahead of us all Grueve led the way, his head bent low in thought and his massive legs setting a stride that was five times the length of one of my own strides. Between him and us walked four other centaurs, their bows drawn and pointed into the forest that was rapidly becoming darker with the night. Craw walked between Sonam and me, looking at us out of the corner of his eyes every few seconds curiously. Behind us Brok stomped on, his own arrow wavering between the back of my head and Sonam's, every few minutes or so I felt it scratch lightly across my scalp. Behind them four more centaurs stood with their bows out to the darkness.

"The woods can be dangerous here at night," Craw said noticing my eyes that were watching the sentries.

"To a human I'm sure, but what's out there that could hurt you?" I asked admiring his massive leg muscles.

"There are monsters out there beyond those trees born out of the clay," he said darkly.

"What kind?" Sonam asked, staring out into the darkness now as well.

"They are called Mapinguary; large hairy beasts with one eye strong enough to rip even a vampire in half. They are very thick in the forest at night, but for the past month we have began seeing less and less; last night we saw none at all."

I was instantly reminded of Adero's warning that Jane had already begun building an army out the darkness, and I pushed my legs harder despite the pain it caused. On the other side of Craw, Sonam quickened his pace as well. "Edward…you don't think that Jane."

"I do," I responded quickly scanning the darkness.

"Who is Jane?" Craw asked, his eyes flitting between us.

"A girl who didn't get enough love as a child," Sonam said.

"We're almost to the village," Craw said, pointing to the glow coming through the trees up ahead of us. As if on cue the ringing my ears was pushed aside by the growing voices of the centaurs living in the village we were nearing. Most of the voices were speaking in Greek, but a few spoke in English, and even fewer in a language I did not recognize.

Before entering the village Grueve held up a massive hand and turned, walking briskly towards Sonam and myself. "I am taking you into the village to speak to my father Dalken; he is the leader of my people. You will also talk to my grandfather Nerog, who is our spiritual leader, if what you say is true he will know it. If you move beyond an inch of what I tell you, my sharpest arrow will pass though each of you cold hearts. Do you understand vampires?"

"Yes," Sonam and I said in unison solemnly.

"Before we enter do you have any personal weapons or powers that might harm my people?"

Sonam quickly glanced at me nervously, using his thoughts to speak to me, 'Should we tell them? I think that there helmets must be blocking us, because I felt no sense of purpose from anyone until we got close to the village.' Looking at him I nodded slowly and turned towards Grueve.

"I can hear people's thoughts." At this Grueve's brow furrowed and he turned his attention to Sonam.

"And you?"

"I can see potential in people for what gifts would be strengthened in them by becoming a vampire."

"And those are the only gifts you each possess," he asked heavily.

"Yes, I do tend to be faster than most vampires, but I seriously doubt I could outrun one of those arrows," I said looking at one of the thick arrows sticking out of his quiver.

"No I doubt you could," he said smiling briefly before turning his back on us and leading the way into the village. As we entered other centaurs emerged from large log dwellings, some looked as curiously but most stared at us with open hostility.

"You don't receive a large amount of vampires do you," I asked Craw quietly.

"What gave it away?" He asked laughing. "The only vampires we ever have here are from a small coven up the river a long way. They come every few years to renew our treaty."

"That would be the Amazonian coven," I said looking towards Sonam. "I wonder if my father has reached them yet." Inside I wondered now about how the rest of my family was fairing on there own journeys, mostly I thought about my Bella. I hoped against hope that she was not at the moment being led into a village at arrow point as well.

"I am sure he has, and I am sure the rest of your family is safe as well." Sonam said his voice thick with understanding.

I was brought out of my thoughts be a strong deep voice calling out across the rapidly growing crowd. "Grueve, why have you brought vampires here?" An older looking version of Grueve said walking towards us.

"That is our father Dalken," Craw whispered to us.

"He is a great leader," Sonam said more to himself than us.

"That I am Vampire," Dalken said looking down to us. "Grueve please explain your actions."

"We found them while hunting father, they claimed not to know anything of the treaty. I meant to tie them up and secure them when…when something was brought to my attention that I decided should be brought to yours." Grueve said looking back towards us.

"What could possibly concern me of two strange vampires?" Dalken asked looking closer at the two of us.

"Look at their eyes my son," an ancient but robust voice exclaimed from behind us. Looking over my shoulder I saw a elderly looking centaur closer to Craws height walking towards us smiling, a dark brown pouch held in his hands. As he stopped next to us he nodded assuredly at Sonam and myself and bade us to turn our heads toward Dalken, whose own eyes fixed upon our faces.

"Why are your eyes not red or black," he said momentarily stunned.

"Because they don't eat humans," the old man said confidently.

"Is this true?" He asked his gaze boring down on us.

"Yes it is," I said matching his eyes.

"Of course it is," the elderly man said stepping around to my side and handing the bag to Craw. "Bandage their wounds Craw." At this Craw grabbed the bag and shifted down on his front legs to attend to our legs. "My name is Nerog, and I believe you have a message for us don't you?" He asked smiling at me straightforwardly.

"We are but the bearers," Sonam said beside me.

"The message is from Adero." I added.

"What message does the mother send to us on the tongues of vampires?" Dalken asked, his gaze softening.

"The Volturi have been murdered," Sonam said solemnly.

"All of them? Even Aro?" Dalken asked his face marred with disbelief.

"Yes all of the leaders, and most of the guard."

"There will be chaos. They are the only ones keeping the bloody warring covens from imploding into war."

"There is more," I said feeling relief begin to enter my body as Craw rubbed some salve on my leg wound.

"A strong member of the guard is vying to take control of not only the vampiric world but all of earth's creatures. She is amassing a large army as we speak close to my home to begin her campaign."

"I would like to see the leech come here and try to take us on!" Brok roared holding his bow above his head.

"And come she will!" I yelled rounding on him. "But she will not come with an army of vampires you can pierce with your arrows." Turning back towards Dalken I looked him deep in the eyes. "Adero came to a family friend of ours, an ally and bade him a prophecy."

"What did it say?" Nerog asked catching my eyes, his face rapt with curiosity.

"I have a recording or it," I said digging into my pockets and pulling out a tape recorder I had had the good sense to put in a waterproof container. Pulling it out I set it on the palm of my hand as the centaurs surrounding us crowded close. Looking at Sonam I pressed play and Adero's ancient voice warbled out of the tape recorder, delivering her message of impending war.

When it ended Dalken put his hand up in the air effectively silencing anyone who made to speak at the moment. Looking from Sonam to me he put a hand on each of our shoulders, "Adero blessed us with the gift to look into the soul of a person and see what their heart was. I have met many vampires in my years, some with heart colder than their skin, and some like Aro who retained the better qualities men are gifted with. But I see strong warriors in the both of you, and if you ask for the help of me and my people I will grant it to you. We will come to the Northwest of the Great Empire and stand behind you against those the world has cast out as wicked."

"No you will stand beside us," I said confidently putting my hand over his.

Nodding at me he looked over our heads towards the other centaurs who crowded around us, waiting for an address from there leader. "Brothers, sisters, we have not involved ourselves in the world of the mother's other children for nearly three millennium. But now we must join our distant siblings side by side to keep control out to the hands of darkness. Make all the arrangements you need now, all the warriors male and female will go." At this the crowd cheered in anticipation, bows held above the heads of about one hundred centaurs.

"And now," Dalken said looking back to us, "I'm sorry but I never got your names."

"I am Edward Cullen," I said.

"And I am Sonam."

"Come with me and you two can rest your wounds while we make plans." He said turning around and bidding us to follow him to a large log house.

We were followed in by Nerog, Grueve, Craw, Brok, and two females I later learned to be Dalken's wife Sheroni and Grueve's wife Atal. Over the next few hours we discussed the massive undertaking it would be to transport the one hundred plus Centaurs from here to Forks. After much talk and a brief fight between Brok and Dalken it was decided that they would travel through the forest to the edge of the city of Porto Velho. This is where the argument had sprung from, as my father and Nicolό had proposed using a large plane that was used to transport race horses.

"I will not ride like livestock!" Brok exclaimed loudly.

"Then you will not ride at all," Dalken said forcefully. "You forget the first of our kind was born by the animal you dumbly refer to as livestock."

"There has to be some other way is all I'm saying," Brok said abashedly.

"If you see one then you are welcome to share it with the rest of us. In the mean time if this plane is good enough to transport out equine brothers it is good enough to carry us."

Brok looked like he wanted to say something but instead he huffed crossing his arms and remaining silent for the rest of the meeting. I found myself wishing he would take off his helmet so I could catch a glimpse of his thought process at the moment.

At the end of our discussion I explained that Sonam and I needed to leave ahead of the others to schedule what I was now sure would have to be two of the carrier planes. Dalken nodded in understanding and promised to meet us in two nights on the edge of the city at midnight with his warriors. "Take Craw with you, so he can show you the way." He said resting a hand on his son's shoulder.

"We would be much obliged," I said shaking Dalken's hand and turning into the jungle with Craw and Sonam.

"That went better than I thought it might," I said to Sonam as we followed Craw through the trees as he chopped a more direct path to Porto Velho.

"Yes it was," he said slowly, "Craw I felt as if we were expected to be there."

"Not really expected, so much as we weren't surprised to see you all that much. My grandfather had a vision of you two coming to deliver a message. And my grandfather's visions are never wrong."

"Hmm," was all Sonam said as he lapsed into thought about the Centaurs.

We walked straight thought the thick jungle towards Porto Velho for the next day, stopping only once for Sonam and myself to hunt and Craw to rest. When we reached Porto Velho the first thing I did was place a call to the hotel in Brasilia that we had planned to meet my father and Nicolό. The desk told me that they had already left for the United States. After thanking the desk clerk I hung up and dialed the number of our lawyer Jenks. After a few rings a very groggy Jenks picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Jenks this is Edward Cullen, I believe my brother Jasper told you I would be calling you."

"Oh yes Mr. Cullen of course," he said and I heard the sound of him hauling himself out of the bed and his room. "How are your travels going?"

"Just fine, but I'm afraid I have a taller order for you than originally planned out."

"Whatever it is I'm sure I can make it happen for my best clients," he said as I heard him ruffling though a drawer for a legal pad and pen.

"I will need two of the horse carrier planes instead of one. They will need to arrive in Porto Velho as soon as possible and be ready to leave at one o'clock a.m. in two days."

"Ok," he said trying his best to sound under whelmed.

"Also I will need the papers to transport one-hundred and twelve horses from here to Seattle, and then trucks to run them to Forks. All of this needs to be done at night as well."

"Ok," he said his voice squeaking and I heard him flop down into his chair.

"And Mr. Jenks I will be wiring another bonus one million to your bank account, will that be enough to cover your labor?"

"Oh yes, Mr. Cullen. More than enough," Jenks exclaimed exuberantly.

"Thank you Mr. Jenks."

"No thank you Mr. Cullen."

Hanging up the phone I turned to Sonam and smiled. "Well that went smoothly."

"Your family is literally sending this man's grand children to college you know," Sonam said laughing.

"I guess some working relationships can be swayed by monetary gain as well." I said smiling back at him.

The next day was a flurry of actions, from arranging food and water to take along to explaining to the pilots when they landed that they were not to look at the "horses" as we loaded them at midnight. To ensure this I ensured them that they would each receive an extra ten grand for there services.

At midnight under the cover of darkness the Centaurs quickly boarded the planes and settled down for the long flight back to Forks. Jenks for his part did not let me down once.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Woot woot here's another chapter. Just a warning it gets a little sacrilegious in some parts but in retrospect you are reading a lesbian romance fan fiction about vampires so keep your judgment to yourself? LOL

Disclaimer: I don't own Bella, Alice, or Edward. They are the only things in this chapter I don't own though. The rest of it. Mine. No touchy.

Alice's POV

I stood up slowly as the warmth that surrounded me began to crawl through my body. Keeping my eyes on the women surrounding us I reached down and pulled Bella up with me. Taking my eyes off of the witches for a second I looked mutely at Bella, whose red eyes were darting from the witches to our surroundings.

"Are you ok?" I asked grabbing her attention.

For a second she closed her eyes and bit her lip, no doubt running over a checklist in her mind. Opening her eyes a crack she grinned nervously and nodded her head, "I found the witches." She said chuckling.

"That you did," the tall one said stepping towards us slowly. "I'm curious as to how you managed this task though seeing as we haven't had a visitor since the rise of Judaism."

"Much less from two very gorgeous vampires," a softer silky voice from behind me. Turning my head my eyes landed on the most visually stunning women I had ever seen. Saying she was modelesque would have been a tragedy. Her features were perfectly in proportion almost like a statue, and her body we beyond perfect. I was faintly aware that Bella's and my own jaws had dropped dangerously low and only came out of my reverie when I realized that the women's eyes were roaming freely over Bella's body like it was already hers. I was further drug out of the temporary spell when she took a step closer and rested her hand on Bella's lowered jaw and closed her mouth smiling.

"Hello," Bella stuttered shaking her head from the contact and looked at me sheepishly. Putting an arm around her possessively I pulled her tight against my own body and glared lightly at the woman who was still undressing my mate with her eyes. She for her part smiled sweetly at me and walked around us joining the other witches who had been watching the small exchange with amusement.

The leader rolled her eyes as the women took her place next to her and took another step towards her. "Sorry about that awkward moment, but we really do not ever get guests," she said shrugging lightly. "What brings two vampires all the way up and down here?"

Taking my glare off of the other woman I looked back at the leader and took in small breath, "We have come to ask for help." I said bluntly releasing Bella and standing up straighter.

"Help with what exactly?"

"I don't know how to say it any blunter than help in a war."

"A war you say?" Another woman whose hair unlike the others was cut short said walking towards us out of the group in large strides. "A war between whom?"

"It's rather a long story," Bella said finding her voice and straightening her back as well.

"Hmm we rather hate long stories Bella," the leader said smiling teasingly.

I prepared myself to lung into the story as quickly as possible when Bella put a hand on my arm stopping me. "How do you know my name?" Bella asked staring at the women incredulously.

"Caught that did you?" She said smiling. Waving her hands towards us she smiling warmly and sighed. "I know who both of you are and I know why you are here."

"How do you know?" I asked shocked.

"Looked into my crystal ball," she said winking

"Couldn't have shared the knowledge? You know I like a good war," the woman with the short hair asked teasingly.

"Must have slipped my mind," the leader said winking at us again. "Now come on, lets go make both of you comfortable and we can discuss this entire situation while you to rest." Putting a hand on my shoulder she made to lead me away and glanced up the long black shaft we had fallen down, the sky above nearly invisible beyond a small pin prick. "Hecate, be a dear and close up the hole up there, we really don't need anymore visitors." At this a younger slightly wild looking woman walked forwards blew a breath across her palm towards the hole. Above us the small opening became black again.

"Hecate, Greek goddess of magic," Bella whispered to herself nonchalantly.

"And she's smart," the flirty one said smiling.

"I just retain knowledge," Bella said with a very dopey smile and then frowning as she stepped closer to me.

"Control yourself woman," the leader said chuckling and sweeping us speechlessly through the crowd and across a stone courtyard. My head swam at the sights around me as I tried to take it all in. Somehow miles below the ice of the North Pole the witches had created another world. Large stone columns went up nearly fifty feet tall, each one somehow holding up an artificial sky somehow illuminated without a sun. The buildings surrounding us as we walked were ancient looking, made of ancient limestone that resembled that of the Parthenon in Greece.

I was brought out of my wandering when we came to a large stone entrance flanked by two statues of winged horses. The woman reached her hands up and put one on each horse, Bella rested her hand on my wrist as both of them neighed softly and nuzzled the woman's hands as she cooed to them in Greece sweetly. "Thought they were statues huh?" The women asked softly as she took her hands off them and smiled over her shoulder at us.

"Yes," we both answered breathlessly in unison.

She chuckled lightly again and started walking down a large stone hallway. Bella and I looked at each other and back to the Pegasus's that were now being petted and cooed to by the other women and smiled before following her down the hallway as well.

Walking though an archway at the end of the hall we exited into a large stone banquet hall adorned with statues and paintings of the women now coming in behind us. The flirty one grabbed Bella's wrist and the women with the short hair grabbed mine leading us towards two stone seats at the top of a large golden table. Wordlessly we sat between the two women, still trying to take in all of the grandeur of the room.

"Impressive isn't it?" The leader said smiling, her eyes twinkling in the light from the roaring fire somehow suspended above our heads.

"Very," I said looking around. "This all looks so ancient it's almost surreal."

"I admit it is a little narcissistic to surround ourselves with paintings and statues of ourselves, but it was all that we took with us when we went into hiding and we do love them so."

"When did you go into hiding exactly," I said finally bringing my attention back to the women surrounding the table.

"I believe Ms. Swan can answer that can't you?"

Turning my head I looked at Bella and couldn't help but laugh at the comical expression that marred her beautiful face. She looked like the student in class who had unexpectedly been picked to answer the question while she had been daydreaming and clueless. But she was not clueless in the least, "All this stuff is so ancient because you are all ancient. You're the…the…goddess's of ancient Greece?" she said, her cheeks blushing lightly from her blood that still lingered in her body.

Turning my head to end of the table the leader was nodding and smiling, "Very astute Bella, yes my name is Hera; and we are indeed…or well we were the ancient Greek's deities."

"We have been many things to different beings since the mother gave us life," three women said in perfect unison from the other end of the table. "Gods to the humans, caregivers to the animals, and aids to the Mother's other species." They said, again in unison.

"You are The Fates?" Bella asked, her voice drenched in curiosity.

"That we are," they said smiling.

"I didn't know you were such a history buff," I said smiling at her.

"I read a lot," she said shrugging and leaning on me lightly.

"You're like a sponge," I said giggling at her.

"I'm Aphrodite," the flirt on Bella's side said smiling at her in a way that could make any vampire lose their breath.

"And I'm Alice Cullen," I said leaning across Bella. "And this is Bella Swan, my mate."

"Oh, territorial…I like that," she said smiling at me teasingly.

"Don't mind her," the woman on my side said. "She has gone too long without someone falling in love with her."

"I don't mind her in the bit," I said putting a hand on Bella's knee.

"Then you are braver than most," Aphrodite said smiling and then stuck her tongue out at the woman next to me.

"My name is Athena," she said smiling and shaking my hand.

As if everyone had just remembered there manners at once they went around the table introducing themselves at once. Some had names that I recognized from my own studies of Greece that were suddenly coming back to; others had names I did not recognize.

As the last one finished Bella turned her head towards Hera. "If you have lived so long certainly those aren't your original names?"

"No they are not, after living so long we have all picked up quite a few names indeed, we just stick to those names for posterity sake."

Bella considered this for a second; her brow furrowed and then looked back to Hera. "I'm sorry if I sound incredibly rude, but where are all the men?"

At this a volley of laughter broke out around the table and Hera smiled, "You do not sound incredibly rude at all, just very direct. I'm afraid all of our male counterparts have gone out of existence?"

"They died?"

"In a way you could say that. Like The Fates said, we have through the ages passed into different levels of existence depending on our surroundings. You might think it wicked but mostly we have lived the good life as gods to the humans. They easily accept things that they see, even if they defy logic to their brains. All we had to do was walk up to a group of them in ancient times and make fire rain down and we had temples built in our honor."

"The fact that your not gods was nil I guess." I said bluntly.

"I know it's a horrible thing to do, but it got us through the years and we couldn't very well live normal lives. The gifts the mother gave us come with some rules. The most relevant one being that we must exercise them often. When we stop using our magic we run the risk of losing it."

"So it seemed only logical to set ourselves up as gods the humans," Athena said. "They needed something to believe in, and we needed a reason to use our gifts."

"Create a little water for crops here, make a few true loves work out, keep them safe when they asked for it; that sort of thing." Hera said her smile starting to fade. "It was a formula that worked over the ages, but all good things come to an end. We were at the height of our power as the Greek and Roman gods when we began to fight amongst ourselves for favor from the humans. My mate…the mighty Zeus…he started it," she said her eyes becoming slightly cloudy.

"The fighting was terrible," Athena said picking up the story as Hera's eyes closed. "Family against family, best friends tore apart. We were all guilty of it. We have these amazing powers, but we are still human in so many ways. Greed, envy, pride are just a few emotions we fall pray to."

"Yes and the humans for there part witnessed our glorious breakdown and its effects were devastating and all encompassing. They like to have something to believe in…no they need to have something to believe in. A wizard picked up on these feelings from the humans and went behind our backs while they were the most vulnerable, setting himself up as one god in their eyes, the only one at that. The humans, who needed something stable to believe in ate it up and we were cast out as wicked."

"He was your mate then…Zeus who sat himself up so to say?" Bella asked softly.

"Yes…yes he was. After that we attempted to pick up the pieces but the damage had been sufficiently done. The new religion under one god spread like wildfire and Zeus covered his tracks, giving us a new name…witches…agents of a Satan he had created. We women were the first to accept that the way of life we had become accustomed to was over, so we came here, with an open invitation to any others who accepted the situation."

"Most did not, except for a few of us that followed," one of the witches whose name I did not recognize said.

"No, a lot stayed behind believing that they could still live with man." Hera said solemnly. "When Athena said we are like humans she was right but there is one way that we are exactly alike. We can die given the right set of circumstances just like any human can. If we don't use our magic enough it starts to dim, and any one of us who stayed behind very well couldn't be making doors open and rainbows shine with a flick of there hand in the hay days of the glorious religion. Most of them were burned at the stake or hung by their necks, there magic so drained they couldn't do anything but die. Those that didn't lost there magic all together before they could seek refuge here."

"How are you still alive?" Bella asked, rapt in attention.

"As long as magic flows through my veins blood does not. We keep ourselves active, still using our magic like we did thousands and thousands of years ago. We just do it now from the comfort of home where prying eyes can't run away screaming and bring back our death."

"What do you do?" I asked curiously.

"The same thing the mother tasked us with in the beginning. Keeping this great big old ball hurtling thought the sky."

At this we all sat silent for a long while, everyone tied up in their own thoughts of lives past us. But my thought train quickly returned to the present and the task the mother had given us now. "Hera, I'm afraid we have to ask you, all of you to leave the safety and help us."

"I understand Alice and I will be the first to pledge my help."

"What exactly is so important that we must help them with?" Athena said turning her attention to Hera.

"The Great Mother Adero has prophesized a war between the magical world. Not unlike the war we went through. Only this war will be for ultimate power."

"How does it affect us though? We have never really gotten into the affairs of the other creatures unless it affected us directly." Aphrodite asked, her voiced indignation reminding me of Rosalie.

"Because it does affect you," I said bluntly growling slightly at her stupidity. "The vampire coven that has kept order in the magical world while you have all been sitting up here has been overthrown. The vampires who did it are now posed and ready to take control of everyone and everything."

"Vampires can not come here, it's a wonder you two made it alive," Athena said slowly.

"No we can not but werewolves, demons, and gargoyles might make an easy go of it." I said loudly standing up and looking at the other witches. "And come they will. Jane wants complete control and she will stop at nothing to get it."

"Is it true Hera?" Aphrodite asked looking at Hera in disbelief.

"Yes it is true, this little monster has and is at this moment rounding up every dark thing she can. And she will send them to us, and she will send them to the centaurs, and she will even send them down to the elves unless we fight her."

"Then we will," Athena said standing up. "I will go and fight."

"Of course you will," Aphrodite snorted and stood up looking down and Bella, fluttering her eyes. "I will go and fight to with you Bella."

I bit back a growl and pulled Bella against me; Bella for her part giggled under her breath and kissed me on the cheek. "You know I love you," she whispered tenderly in my ear as the other witches around the table stood up and pledged their allegiance as well.

"I know, but she takes any arrows out and she is toast," I growled.

"That was my son cupid thank you," Aphrodite said smiling at me innocently.

"Alright, alright now that we have all agreed to go let's get going, I have a feeling Athena's skills in war might be useful very soon." Hera said loudly.

"Right," Bella said biting her lip and turning to Hera. "About that, we managed to arrange travel for well everyone else, but we weren't sure how many of you there were here and how we could get you all to Forks. It would look slightly odd if twenty plus women just walked down from the North Pole out of nowhere."

"Oh I think we can handle that," Hera said smiling widely. "Rhea and Ceto, ready the Pegasus's, we leave immediately."

As two women rose and walked out of the room I turned to Bella expectedly, "What?" she asked looking at me.

"Who is who?"

"Oh Rhea was goddess of Nature and I believe Ceto was the goddess of bizarre creatures."

"Thanks," I said and kissed her on the cheek.

Around us everyone moved in a furor of activity, going left and right through opening in the room I had not seen there seconds ago. "Come on," Athena said motioning for Bella and me to follow her through the walkway we had entered through. Aphrodite followed behind us.

Athena led us out of the walkway and back into the courtyard, turning to lead us behind the large building. Ahead of us in a field Rhea stood surrounded by the stone like Pegasus's, feeding them oats and adjusting saddles on there backs. Behind us the other witches started to come most of them now adorned in more ornate but no less beautiful clothing. I was considering asking if they had any spare sewing patterns lying around when Bella groaned loudly. "Great."

"What?" I asked turning head swiftly to her.

"After this is all over you're going to be dressing me like an ancient Greek Queen for a century."

"Awe baby you know me so well," I said pulling her into a tight hug and kissing her hard on the lips, smiling into her soft lips when I heard Aphrodite huff softly. I made to pull away when Bella pulled me back and slipped her tongue in between my lips, running it over my teeth and then sucking my own tongue into her mouth before breaking the kiss.

"Mmm that was nice," I said resting my head on hers.

"Yes it was, force me into a toga and I won't kiss you for a decade," she said teasingly and pulled away from me.

"Ouch," Athena giggled from behind me.

"You're an evil woman," I said kissing her none the less.

"Yep," Bella said smiling and turning to the Pegasus that was now trying to nuzzle in our kiss. "He's so sweet," she said looking at Athena.

"They are very gentle unless their rider is threatened." Athena said jumping up on him swiftly.

"You can ride with me Bella," Aphrodite said jumping up on another and extending her arm down.

"That's ok," I said grabbing Bella around the waist and dropping her down behind Athena. "You get me Aphrodite."

"Oh joy," she said teasingly pulling me up behind her. "No putting the moves on me Vampire," she giggled.

"Ha ha," I muttered wrapping my arms around her as Hera and Hecate came over atop the two Pegasus' from the front of the building.

"Alright everyone ready?" Hera called to us. "Athena, will you please give the orders as to how this needs to go." Hera asked loudly.

Athena nodded and steered her horse around to look at the other witches. Aphrodite copied her and moved us next to them. "Hecate please go up and release the barrier."

"Hemera and Nyx," Athena called out, "Head up first after Hecate breaks the magical barrier and stage a nice total eclipse of the sun."

"Goddess of daylight and goddess of night respectably," Bella whispered leaning over to me.

"Like a sponge," I murmured smiling at her.

As the three of them rose up and took off through the large black tunnel Athena looked back at the others. "Até, Mania, Eris, and Peitha you three are in charge of making sure that no human between here and Washington as the sense to look up and notice the herd of Pegasus flying overhead got it?"

I looked over at four women who each looked only slightly crazier that the last who nodded atop there Pegasus and began talking quickly amongst themselves. Turning my head I looked at Bella clueless. "In order that would be the Goddess of Mischief, the Personification of Insanity, the Goddess of Strife and Discord, and the Goddess of Persuasion."

"Every human between here and Washington is about to go temporarily bat shit insane," Aphrodite whispered over her shoulder to us.

"The rest of you," Athena continued "keep a tight formation and your heads down, no showing off or letting lose. I know it's been a…long time since we've been out but let's try to control ourselves."

"Alright, everyone knows their rolls so lets get going," Hera said digging her legs into the side of her Pegasus and rising off the ground above our heads. Around us the others rose to led by Hecate, Hemera, and Nyx. I wrapped my arms tightly around Aphrodite as we lifted off the ground and flew side by side with Athena and Bella.

As we rose up the shaft I heard a loud shatter as Hecate broke through the ice above our heads. Just as we rose out of the mouth of the hole Hemera and Nyx flew towards each other weaving around and literally dragging the moon across the sun with invisible rope.

The group rose up high above the icy tundra as began hurtling south towards Forks. A few women called out and whooped and even Athena allowed her Pegasus to do one barrel row before we neared civilization. On cue the four crazy women swooped out of formation and settled below us in a diamond shape, each one dropping their reins and flying with their hands put out in front of them.

Below us on the ground I started to make out the lights of humans who had suddenly found themselves blanketed in darkness from a freak eclipse. Even with my vampire's eyesight I could only just make out their movements. Some made to raise their heads to the sky and suddenly began crawling on the ground aimlessly. As we got more into civilization I saw cellphones leap from people hands and explode on the ground, other lost there glasses and contacts at once and fell to the ground trying to find them. A few lucky men found they had no trouble persuading there girlfriends to take advantage of the darkness and swoop into allies.

As we crossed the border we began a rapid decent from the clouds and I could here car alarms and sirens wailing all around us. Below us I began to make out the baseball clearing and a couple hundred men atop horses. I nearly panicked before I realized they were centaurs, in the middle Edward stood with nearly fifty vampires looking up dumbstruck at the sky as Bella and I lowered to the ground surrounded by twenty plus witches ready for battle.


	34. Chapter 34

Hey everyone sorry for the HUGE lag in story. My computer has been dead. But now look!!! I will update in the week.


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